


Unexpecting

by QunariQueen



Category: I Love Yoo (Webcomic)
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Birthday, Birthday Sex, Discussion of Abortion, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Happy Ending, Mental Health Issues, Not Underage, Sex, Teen Pregnancy, Teenagers, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 09:33:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 41
Words: 68,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25967437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QunariQueen/pseuds/QunariQueen
Summary: Shin-ae and Dieter have been getting really close lately. Shin-ae is trying to keep her feelings at bay, but after an intimate night together, they find out some unexpected news...
Relationships: Dieter Becker-Wulff/Yoo Shin-Ae, Rika Lau/Soushi
Comments: 137
Kudos: 80





	1. Chapter 1: Birthday Plans

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever fanfic, so please go easy on me. I'm really missing I Love Yoo and had a muse.

“So, should we just have the party at the arcade? He loves video games, and we could go grab burgers afterward.” Soushi, Shin-ae, Yeong-Gi, and Min-Hyuk talked among themselves at Maya’s bakery while the soft smells of fresh goods lingered in the air around them. It was Saturday, April 29th, exactly a week before Dieter’s 18th birthday. Originally, Yeong-Gi suggested they throw a big birthday bash at his place, but Min-Hyuk and Shin-ae suggested that Dieter probably wouldn’t like a party very much. 

“Yeah, I mean, I still don’t think he’d like having a party,” Min-Hyuck chimed in. “I’ve gotten to know Dieter really well these past few months, and he strikes me as more of a chill hang out kind of guy.”

“Yeah, true, he probably would be worried about Shin-ae the whole time too. He knows how much she hates parties,” Yeong-Gi teased. Shin-ae looked out the window with a sour face. She really didn’t like how they still teased her and Dieter. She and him had become very close since they decided on becoming acquaintances. They had definitely stepped out of the acquaintance phase and were in a full-blown friendship phase.

What Shin-ae was even more sour about, though, was the fact that she was starting to soften about the idea of possibly, just maybe, under the right circumstances, pursuing something slightly further with him. Nothing too serious, of course. A few months after their not-date, they both became pretty busy with school and didn’t see much of each other outside of class. She thought that maybe he had fallen out of “like” with her, which made her relieved. He doesn’t deserve someone like her to mess up his life as she would. Shin-ae had too many issues, and she was not about to burden someone as sweet, and kind, and warm, and-

Suddenly, Soushi’s voice interrupted that dangerous thought trail...

“Hey, I like that idea! We could just surprise him with a cake and bring over a few extra Waystation controllers and just chill with food!”

“Alright, so let’s plan on Shin-ae asking to come over, and then we all show up to surprise him with pizza and cake. He wouldn’t turn down Shin-ae wanting to hang out. He’d move around his whole schedule for her,” Yeong-Gi and the rest of the group, aside from Shin-ae, started laughing.

“Okay, first of all, yes, he would turn me down if he needed to  _ (please tell me he would) _ . Second, he would not move his schedule around for me  _(at least I hope he wouldn’t)_ . And third, what’s going on? What did I just miss?” 

“Haha, apparently a lot, Shin-ae,” Soushi chuckled,” Where have you been?”

“Apparently, somewhere else,” Shin-ae muttered. Min-Hyuk gave her a knowing smile. What he knew, she didn’t, but  _ he _ was confident he knew something about Shin-ae that she didn’t know. Sometimes this infuriated her, but sometimes, like right now, it just mildly annoyed her. She didn’t like someone telling her how she felt, as if they were in her head, but she was too stupid to see it for herself.

“Okay, Shin-ae,” Min-Hyuk said, “here’s the plan so far. You and Soushi are going to pick up a black forest cake from here. That’s his favorite, and Maya said she could make it for him as his birthday gift. Yeong-Gi and I are going to pick up drinks, wings, and pizza. You and Soushi will pick us up, and we will go to his place. He’ll be expecting you, but we’ll all be at his door to surprise him. Oh, and I think Rika and Maya are going to meet us there. That’s not too crazy for you, right?”

“Uhhh, no, I guess not,” It did, however, fill her stomach with butterflies, ”Why don’t I text him now?” Shin-ae proceeded to pull out her phone and send him a text.

“ _ Hey, so about your birthday…” _

_ “Yeah?” _

_ “Are you going to be busy?” _

_ “Ummm, I just have a match in the morning, but I’ll be free after about 2ish.” _

_ “Perfect! Do you want to hang out around 6? I can just come over, and we can hang out :)” _

_ “Yeah! That sounds awesome!” _

_ “Are you sure?” _

_ “Of course I am, dork! Ok, I’ll ttyl.” _

_ “Ok, ttyl :)” _

  
  
  


“Ok, so we planned on 6, everyone good with that?”

“Woah, that was fast! Does he just wait for your texts or something? It takes him way longer to respond to us!” Soushi practically screamed.

“No, Soushi, I just caught him at a good time!” Shin-ae fired back. The guys all laughed and looked at each other with smug looks. Shin-ae turned her head away from them quickly, hoping they only saw her frustration and not the blush creeping up on her cheeks. Just a couple of months ago, during their time apart, Shin-ae  _ thought _ he had gotten over her. And then something happened that made her realize he probably liked her more now than he did before.

  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2: Birthday Party

“Hey, I know we tease you about Dieter liking you. I hope it doesn’t make you too uncomfortable,” Soushi said as he and Shin-ae walked together to Maya’s bakery. It was mildly cold today compared to the warm, spring weather they had been having since the beginning of April. Shin-ae wondered whether Dieter liked the cold or hot temperatures. She assumed hot based off of how he always seemed to be bundled up in sweaters and heavy coats.

She thought about what Soushi said; how they don’t like to make her uncomfortable. She didn’t wholly believe that. They always laughed and teased her, but she also enjoyed it. These were her friends. She knew they meant no harm and mostly did it to try and make her laugh. This was not like the bullying she experienced most of her life.

But this did make her uncomfortable. She didn’t like being reminded that Dieter liked her. She wished she didn’t know. It would make being his friend so much easier and, he was such a good friend. But she knew that he was too good of a friend to let his feelings get in the way of their friendship. Min-Hyuk and Yeong-Gi were fantastic friends, but Dieter had different but equally great friendship qualities too. Dieter made Shin-ae feel like she could be open with him and honest and, she tried to reciprocate that for him as well. She took a long breathe in and let out a shaky sigh.

“I know you guys mean well. It does make me uncomfortable, but being his friend makes me feel better. He’s a really good friend.”

“Mate, he’s like the best. You know that’s why we want you guys to date so bad, right? We just want him to be happy and, you make him really happy.  _ And _ it seems like he makes you happy too.”

“He does...make me happy…”

“But…” Shin-ae looked at him puzzled.

“What do you mean but?” Shin-ae questioned.

“Well, you hesitated...It sounded like you had more to say. Like,” Soushi raised his voice in a girly mocking tone, “ _ he makes me happy, but he doesn’t buy me enough food. _ ”

“Wuh-that is not the reason,” she said, elbowing her most annoying friend.

“So there is a reason?”

“No…?”

“Then why?”

“Why what-” Shin-ae was interrupted by a text. She removed her phone from her Jacket and saw  _ Dieter Something _ on the screen

_ “Hey I’m excited to see you soon  _ _ ʕ ᵔᴥᵔ ʔ” _

_ “Me too! Picking up a cake now. I’ll be there soon!  _

  
Shin-ae sensed Shoushi was looking at her. She hastily put her phone away and glanced up at him. Shoushi was giving her the smuggest smile she had ever seen plastered on this boy’s face. Only then did she realize she not only had completely forgotten about the conversation they were just having, but she was acutely aware of her fading smile and warmth on her cheeks and neck.  
  


“What are you looking at? Don’t look at me with that tone of voice! Repeat what you just said? I didn’t hear it over that car driving by.” Soushi took a moment to look her directly in the eyes and then looked back up at the sidewalk ahead of them, self-satisfaction practically dripping from his voice.

“Nahhh, I think you’ve explained it pretty well at this point. Whatever it is that you don’t want to share with me, I’m sure it’s for a good reason. I just want you to know that Dieter is a great guy. Don’t let the rest of us make you feel differently about him. We just like to mess. And we’re all really glad that you two are friends. It seems like you’re getting closer and that makes all of us kinda giddy.”

\- - - - - 

“Dieter, I swear, if I find out you’re cheating somehow-”

“Mate, you  _ know  _ Dieter isn’t cheating he smokes us every single time we play this or any game together.”

“Guys, I told you, I’ve just had a lot of practice.”

Shin-ae stood in the entrance to the kitchen, watching the three boys playing together. Min-Hyuk ended up leaving to pick Maya and Rika up from the Bakery. Shin-ae suspected something was going on with Rika and Soushi because he was getting antsier and antsier. She suspected for a few months now but wasn’t sure.

_ Is this what everyone else sees when they watch Dieter and I interact? _

Shin-ae almost choked on her food when she realized what her brain just thought of. The thought of people watching her and Dieter’s reactions and just waiting for them to finally make their move. Except, if she’s being honest with herself, everyone is just waiting for  _ her _ to make her move.

“Shin-ae are you ok?” Dieter rushed into the kitchen

“I’m *cough* fine. I’m fine. It just *hack* went down the wrong pipe” Dieter poured some soda into a cup.

“Here, have a drink.”

“You know, Shin-ae, you’re supposed to swallow your food. Not inhale it,” Yeong-Gi said with a smirk. Just as Shin-ae was reaching for the cup in Dieter’s hand she turned to scold Yeong-Gi, but in doing so, bumped the cup out of Dieter’s hand. The contents of the cup splattered all over the floor. Shin-ae screeched.

“Dieter, shit, I’m so sorry. I will clean this up. Why do I always do this.”

“Hey Yeong-Gi, Kousuke’s on his way to pick you up. He sounded peeved that you didn’t pick up your phone.”

“What? How do you know that? Was that who you were just on the phone with? Why would you tell him where I am, Soushi???”

“Oh, shit, sorry man. I wasn’t even thinking. Wait, are you hiding from him or something?”

“No...I just wanted to hang out with you guys tonight and not have to worry about anything. It’s been a while since I just had a good time and relaxed. Kousuke’s always trying to control what I do now and where I’m at. I turned my phone off before we got here so that I wouldn’t have to deal with his calls.” This was the first time in quite a while that Shin-ae saw him honestly sad. It bummed her out that he was going to be leaving soon. It also irritated her that she had to see her boss on her day off.

Just then the door opened and Min-Hyuk, Maya, and Rika came through the door. Rika was holding an oversized birthday cone-hat and bounded over to the group in the kitchen

“Dieter happy birthday! Way to join the rest of us in adulthood,” Rika said, slamming the hat on top of Dieter’s head.

“Also, your sign totally fits you. You’re so easy going and empathetic, just like Taurus is supposed to be. And you were born under Venus, the planet of loooooove *eyebrow waggle*.” Dieter, unsurprising to anyone there, turned a dark shade of pink.

“Oh, ha ha...that explains it, I guess,” He said rubbing the back of his neck, “Ok everyone I’m going to clean up the soda, so no one come in here for a few minutes.”

“What? No Dieter I’ll do it. I’m the one who spilled it. Let me clean it up.”

“No, you don’t need to clean up my house, Shin-ae. It was just a mistake. It’s no big deal.”

“No really, I insist!”

“ _ Okay! _ While you two love birds hash this out, I’m going to go back into the living room and wait for my stupid brother to come to pick me up, I guess,” Yeong-Gi said chuckling at the two “friends.” Dieter bashfully looked at Shin-ae, worried that she would bolt out of there at the acknowledgment of his feelings. But the look on her face almost reflected his, which only made him hastily turn away.

“I have to go grab a towel or two anyways. If you insist, how about you just help me then?” Shin-ae agreed with a single nod. As she stood there waiting for Dieter to get back she looked into the living room to see Rika twirling her hair and sitting on Soushi’s lap. She. Knew. It. Despite feeling happy for her friend that she was enjoying herself with a boy, she couldn’t help but feel a little jealous. She could never give in to her feelings like that. She didn’t trust herself not to abandon anyone and she didn’t trust anyone to not abandon her; even…

_ Dammit, Shin-ae. Stop jumping to these kinds of thoughts about him. He deserves more than you. We need to protect him from you. _

Dieter returned with the towels and he and Shin-ae started wiping up the sticky liquid that had partially dried in some areas. They were going to need to clean a little more thoroughly. But Dieter suggested they do that later and to enjoy the party while it was still happening.

At least an hour passed when they heard a knock at the door. Soushi pulled Dieter aside to say something to him. Shin-ae noticed Soushi hand Dieter something and at first, Dieter wanted to refuse but Soushi insisted.

_ Soushi must have gotten Dieter a small gift. It’s gotta be embarrassing though because Dieter is too nice to turn down gifts...maybe it’s another pair of bear undies. _ Shin-ae looked away from the two boys and at the door where a tall, dark-haired man stood. He stuck out like a sore thumb in a room with a bunch of happy teenagers. Min-Hyuk walked over and hugged Dieter and started towards the door.

“Wait are you guys leaving now?” Shin-ae questioned, “I feel like we just started.”

“Yeah, I have a flight to catch tomorrow, remember? I’ll be back soon for summer though. And it’s been about three hours since you, Soushi, and Yeong-Gi got here. Don’t tell me you actually *gasp* enjoyed yourself???” Min-Hyuk put his hands on his cheeks, in a mock surprise. 

“Yeah, I’m going to head out too. You should stay here, though, Shin-ae. There’s plenty of pizza and wings and definitely some cake leftover. Just chill with Dieter,” Soushi said with a genuine smile. It caught Shin-ae off guard; normally he’d insinuate something inappropriate and make kissy faced at the two of them, but he was being genuine. She looked over to Dieter to see him looking scared shitless.

“I don’t know...Dieter I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. Do you want to hang out longer?”

“I mean, I did plan on it just being you tonight…” He said with a shy smile

“Nonsense. Miss Yoo, come with me. I’ll drop you off at home,” Kousuke said, a little more forcefully than normal. But that forcefulness made Shin-ae’s blood boil.

“No, it’s his birthday. And he’s right, the plan that he knew of was for it to be just me and him tonight. Clearly he wants to hang out and I want to hang out with him!”

“Miss Yoo, it’s inappropriate for a woman to be alone with a man. Especially when there are no guardians around.” That made Shin-ae’s and several other guests’ mouths drop open.

“Excuse me? What grounds do you stand on that you think you can tell me what is inappropriate for a woman my age?” Kousuke turned and looked away. After a tense moment of silence, he turned back to her.

“You’re right, Miss Yoo. I apologize. Dieter, I hope you had a successful birthday. I wish you the best.” And with that, Kousuke left. “I’ll meet you in the car, Yeong-Gi.” They waited for Kousuke to be a decent distance away to shake themselves out of that nightmare of a conversation. The second-hand embarrassment was thick enough to cut. Yeong-Gi and Min started chuckling and walked out the door.

“Don’t let Debbie-Downer over there ruin your night. We all know Kousuke’s an ass,” Soushi said as he waved goodbye and gently shut the door. Shin-ae chuckled at the absurdity of that situation and looked over at Dieter.

“Okay, first thing’s first. Let’s get that sticky mess taken care of in the kitchen.”


	3. Chapter 3: Birthday Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The calm before the storm. The fluff before the smut.

After scrubbing away the last of the soda residue, Shin-ae leaned her back against a cabinet, thankful to be off of her knees. Dieter sat down next to her after wiping down the overhead cabinets. Shin-ae was exhausted and Dieter looked like he had an equally drained energy-meter.

“Hey so just wondering, not that I really care, but...where  _ are _ your parents. Did they not spend time with you on your birthday?” Shin-ae asked.

“Oh, my dad is away on this temporary duty thing. My mom is on a business trip. She asked if I wanted her to move it but I told her I had a friend coming over so she decided to go knowing I wouldn’t be alone.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I actually don’t mind. It’s nice having the place to myself. And my sister is staying with a friend tonight. When I told her I had a friend coming over she assumed I meant a girl,” Dieter turned his head to look at her and gave her a gentle smile, “I mean she was right, but I still didn’t want to admit that to her.” The crimson returned to his cheeks as he looked straight ahead. Shin-ae wanted to be upset that he didn’t tell her that they would be alone beforehand, but she found herself enjoying this relaxing time with him. She also knew Dieter would never manipulate her like that. He was probably too nervous to tell her in case she assumed he was trying to pull something.

“So you planned this,” Shin-ae said bluntly. She tried to make her voice sound like she was kidding but once it came out it didn’t sound that way.

“No! Of course not! I would never-” Shin-ae laughed at his frantic expression.

“I’m only joking Dieter. It’s ok. I know you wouldn’t.” Dieter gave an embarrassed smile, which only brightened his blush. That was something that was really growing on Shin-ae. Dieter’s inability to hide his emotions. She had worked so fervently her whole like to keep from exhibiting emotion, but she enjoyed seeing Dieter’s.

“Dieter, I need you to do something for me.” Dieter gave her a worried look.

“What do you need me to do,” he said shakily and swallowed hard. Shin-ae watched as his Adam’s Apple bobbed in his neck. It took more effort than she thought to pull her eyes away.

“I need cake,” she said weakly. He let out a relieved sigh and stood up, mumbling something about her nearly giving him a heart attack. He handed her a slice and fork, then sat next to her after dishing up his own slice.

“I forgot to thank Maya for the cake. It’s so good. I’ll have to text her tomorrow.”

“You can text her now if you want.” Dieter blushed and looked down.

“I don’t really want to be on my phone while you’re here,” he said quietly,” I don’t want to waste the time I have with you.” That had an effect on Shin-ae. Something about how much Dieter cherished his time with her, just being in the same room as her, really softened her. It frustrated her how he was able to chip away at her protective shell, but it felt like the more he chipped away, the more he was just building up a confidence in her that never excited before knowing him. 

“You know I still like you...like a lot, right?” Shin-ae’s spine stiffened and her eye widened slightly.

“Yeah…?” She said so softly, it was barely over a whisper. Dieter swallowed hard again.

“I guess I just want you to know this has been the best birthday I’ve ever had so far in my entire life.”

“We hardly did anything though. It was just simple.”

“Yeah...that’s why I liked it. But when I think back on this birthday that’s not what I’m going to be thinking about.” His voice started to shake again. Shin-ae already knew what he was going to say, but she desperately wanted to hear him say it. 

“What will you think about when you recall the memory of this birthday?”

“This. Right now. Just sitting next to you, on the kitchen floor, eating cake, watching you get whip cream on your face.” He gave her a half-smile and watched as she mildly panicked. She thought she knew what he was going to say. Well, she knew half of it at least. She wiped at her face, but he chuckled and shook his head.

“It’s um...it’s right...uh...May I?” Shin-ae hesitated, but once she saw his large hands reach for her face, she nodded and leaned into the touch.

Deiter touched her face and gently wiped away the whipped cream. His rough hands created a contrast with her soft skin. Shin-ae felt the arousal pooling in her lower belly. She’d have to leave right now or else she was a goner. Something was keeping her here though. Not just a feeling, a need. Not only a physical desire but another desire. Something she wasn’t familiar with or equip to deal with. It felt as if the emotions she had since the amusement park were being held back like water in a dam. Something just broke the dam. She wanted to blame it on her being tired, but she knew that wasn’t all. She finally relaxed and let it take control of her

Dieter started to pull his had away from her face when she swiftly captured his finger in her mouth. She could taste the salt of his nervous sweat mixed with the sweat melted cream from the cake. She realized too late that this was probably a bad idea. He looked pale like he was about to faint.

“Dieter wait,” Her mouth blurted out the words, but her conscious was not in control. This was from somewhere deeper. Dieter snapped back to reality.

“Yes,” he stated rather than asked.

“I know why this is going to be a really good and memorable birthday.

“Why?”

“Because I think,”  _ Oh no, what am I doing. Don’t do this,  _ “I think I really...like you too.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's coming, guys.


	4. Chapter 4: Birthday Shhh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's here. The smut has arrived.

“Dieter wait,” Her mouth blurted out the words, but her conscious was not in control. This was from somewhere deeper. Dieter snapped back to reality.

“Yes,” he stated rather than asked.

“I know why this is going to be a really good and memorable birthday.

“Why?”

“Because I think,”  _ Oh no, what am I doing. Don’t do this,  _ “I think I really...like you too.” 

She could barely get the rest of the words out of her mouth before her lips were pressed against his. His mouth was sweet and hot. His face was hot. His hands were hot and pawing at her, trying to get under her shirt. She didn’t fight it. She didn’t want to fight it anymore. Maybe they could keep this a secret until he had his fill of her and moved on to someone better. Maybe if she didn’t let this become something more, she could actually enjoy these feelings. They could be somewhere in between friends with benefits and sweethearts, that way they could still stay friends when the inevitable break up happened. But right now, she was not going to figure out what they were. She was completely focused on taking care of his needs and letting him take care of hers because that’s what she wanted to do.

Dieter let out soft moans as he ran his hands up and down her waist, drinking her in as much as he possibly could before waking up from this wonderful dream. His pants were starting to get uncomfortably tight as he tried to control his slightly undulating hips. She smelled like the sweetest flower and made noises he never imagined a girl could make, especially Shin-ae. He thought having her in the same room as him on his birthday was the best birthday present he could receive, but it turned into so much more. He almost felt guilty until he remembered that she’s the one who attacked his lips first.  _ Does she really want this? _

“Shin-ae wait-”

“Dieter, please,” she started to wrap her limbs around his, fearing he was about to pull away.  _ Is he having second thoughts? _

“Shin-ae do you really want this?”  _ I don’t want her to regret this… _

“Yes, Dieter. Yes, please. Can I stay here with you tonight?”  _ Please say yes… _

“Of course,” Dieter tried to muffle out while still devouring her. He lifted her effortlessly, which shocked him enough that he broke the kiss for just a moment.  _ I knew she was small...but she’s so tiny… _

Dieter carried her to his bedroom and gently set her down on his bed. He removed both his shirt and pants before she even had the chance to get her shirt off. He considered leaving the lights on but felt it best to turn them off. He didn’t want Shin-ae to feel uncomfortable. He walked over to Shin-ae and helped her slide her skinny jeans off.

“Shin-ae, please tell me if I do something that you don’t like. This is my first time and-”

“This is my first time too, don’t worry. The worst thing you could do to me right now is leave me like this.”

“Yeah, like hell that is about to happen.” Dieter dove to her l calves, kissing his way up her legs, in between her thighs. He threaded his thumbs through her underwear and looked into her eyes. They were black with desire and he was sure his were just as dark.

“Do I have permission to take these off?” He tugged on her underwear lightly and she gave him a wide-eyed nod. He pulled them down with shaky hands. He was terrified of what was about to happen, but he was not about to let his nerves take over this moment. He tried to look away from her slip to get the rest of her clothes off, but she was already working on her bra. He let his eye study her every curve while she was getting situated.  _ She is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I will vehemently protect her until I breathe my last breath. I will not let anyone hurt her ever again. She’s too- _

“Dieter?” She squeaked out. He shook himself out of this pre-wedding vow state of mind and leaned over her, crawling up her body where he laid a gentle, but passionate kiss on her lips.

“Is there something specific that you would like me to do? Are you comfortable enough?” Their noses were almost touching and they could feel each other’s hot breath on their lips. Neither had noticed until how labored their breathing had become.

“Can you just...uhh. Will you just do whatever you want to do?” Oh, that made his cock twitch. He tried to steady his breathing, but it seemed to only become more sporadic. There was no set rhythm.

“Whatever I want? I mean I’ve never done this but-”

“You’ve imagined. You and I both know you’ve thought about this moment before. Even if you never thought it would come true, there has to be a few things.” If Dieter wasn’t so terrified right now he’d be extremely embarrassed. Now he was thankful for turning the lights off. Their eyes had adjusted to the dark and they could see each other from the light in the hallway that shone underneath the door, but luckily they couldn’t make out a whole lot of color detail.

“Um yeah, I have. I have some ideas,” It felt like every time Dieter spoke he had to gasp for air. This experience was so much different than treating yourself. This was so intimate, yet somehow it didn’t feel any more intimate than the time they spent together at the amusement park or even just sitting on his kitchen floor just moments ago.

Dieter kissed down her neck, stomach, and hips, landing near her sex. He gently caressed his tongue up her slit, eliciting a surprised squeak from her. He looked at her as if to ask if he could keep going and she nodded desperately. He nudged her entrance with his nose and brushed again her nub. She gave a high pitched moan and he knew if he didn’t start focusing on a task, he was going to have an early release. He lightly sucked and licked until he found a good rhythm that she seemed to enjoy. Her hips were moving so much he at one point had to start holding her legs down. Liquid desire was pooling out of her which he was thankful for. He knew it could hurt for some girls and he wanted her to be as relaxed as he could get her.

“He-hey Dieter?” Dieter froze.

“Yes, am I doing something wrong?

“No! No, you are wonderful. I was just wondering if you could maybe move your tongue in circles?” He made an awkward “uh-huh” noise and went back to work. Lightning was shooting through every nerve in her body at this point. It wouldn’t be much longer. Dieter could tell something was about to happen by the way her body was shaking. Suddenly he felt her muscles down there contract and she let out a wail. He vowed to himself from this day on that, as long as she let him, he would make her wail like that every single day. Just knowing that he did that to her gave him the confidence that he needed to finish this job. This was the moment. There’s no turning back now and he wouldn’t wish for it to.

He crawled on top of her again, kissing his way up her body. He positioned himself at her entrance and looked into her eyes. She wrapped her legs around him and nodded her approval. He started to slide into her, slowly, until he felt her wince.

“Please tell me if it hurts too much. I will stop immediately if you want me to,” he whispered.

“No, please keep going. I appreciate you taking it slow and being gentle.”

He kept sliding until he sat comfortably inside of her. He let out a breath that he didn’t realize he was holding and noticed she had started to clamp down on him. Now he was excited to know what it felt like to be inside of her during her big moment. He started thrusting, unevenly at first but leveled out eventually into a beat that she set. It was faster than he expected, considering he could tell it hurt a little, at least at first. Suddenly she reached up and bit down on his shoulder. For a second he thought she was telling him to stop until her hips started moving harder and he felt her walls twitching, bringing her fully to another climax. That was it for him. He couldn’t help but slam into her now as she brought him to his release. He stared at her intensely, watching as sweat started to bead around her collarbone and forehead. The dim light showed enough color that he could see the beautiful flush on her skin. He wanted to stay there forever, transfixed in this moment.

As his member softened, he slid out from her, realizing it might not be that comfortable having someone of his size laying on top of her body. She was so small and seemed so fragile. Before he could lay down completely, she wrapped her arms around his neck and brought him close to her. She gently kissed him and he kissed her back with maybe a little too much excitement. He still couldn’t believe this was happening. He was sure this was just a dream and he would wake up any moment. 

“Dieter, are you okay?” The amount of love she saw in his eyes when he looked at her terrified her but also made her feel more protected than she had felt in a long time. Maybe since they first met; maybe longer.

“I’m...I don’t even know what I am right now, but I know it’s good,” he croaked out, “Are you okay? Was that okay?”

“Yes, I’m very good.  _ That _ was very good. I had a very good time and I’m glad I could share that with you.” Dieter inhaled deeply trying to suppress the emotion that was trying to break through when he was suddenly brought back down to earth when he heard Shin-ae hum.

“Oh my gosh I’m sorry, I’m just laying on top of you crushing you,” Dieter said as he flung himself off of her. She giggled and sat up.

“You’re fine Dieter. I’m fine. I just need to get up to pee. I’ll be right back.” Dieter was half shocked by her bluntness and half relieved. That’s the Shin-ae he fell in love with and he was glad to know it was really her underneath him tonight and not some imposter. 

As he was putting his underwear back on, Shin-ae came back wrapped in a blanket and hesitated to join him on the bed again. Dieter sat on the side of the bed and Shin-ae walked over to him and let the blanket drop. He was once again drowning in her beauty, but this time he really was too tired to do that again, even if another part of him wanted another round.

“Can I still stay over?” Shin-ae asked nervously.

“I really hope this doesn’t scare you,” Dieter said wrapping his arms around her waist and laying his head across her flat stomach, “but I never want you to leave. You can stay here for as long as you want.”

This did scare Shin-ae, but it also made her laugh on the inside.  _ Yeah, I’m sure his parents would be thrilled to learn that I took their son’s virginity, and now am just going to set up camp here. _ But she decided that the desire to stay the night with him was stronger than the desire to run. She was not going to let fear control her, at least until tomorrow when she would leave and have to be alone with her thoughts, which is where most of her fear bore its nasty head. Tonight she was going to lay with Dieter and sleep in his arms. She knew at that moment she wanted it just as badly as he did. But also, it’s his birthday so maybe she’ll just use that excuse until the next time her desire starts to control her.


	5. Chapter 5: Birthday Agreement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dieter and Shin-ae talk things out after their night together.

Dieter couldn’t remember the last time he slept this hard if he even ever  _ had _ slept this hard. He woke up just before the sunrise, and at first, completely forgot about the previous night. It only took a split second for him to remember and had him too scared to open his eyes. But he knew that if it were a dream, what happened last night, he wouldn’t be able to hear the soft snores of the girl he loves right now. He wouldn’t be able to feel her laying on his chest, legs entwined together. He wouldn’t be able to smell the clean scent of her shampoo or taste the remnants of her on his lips. His cheeks flushed when he remembered his face buried in between her legs and her soft yelps filling the atmosphere. Her pleading with him to continue what he was doing. He then noticed the feeling of liquid on his chest and opened his bleary eyes to see Shin-ae was leaving a puddle of drool on his chest. He just smiled dumbly to himself. He couldn’t believe this was real. He had hoped for this moment for months but never thought it would come to be. 

Something in the back of Dieter’s mind was poking at him as if he forgot something. The last thing he wanted to do was disturb Shin-ae, he knew how hard it was for her to sleep with everything that has happened the last few months, but he was starting to worry himself. Maybe he forgot to lock the door and, his subconscious was trying to tell him that. He kissed her forehead and began to remove her from his chest gently. The lack of contact was almost physically painful, but he knew he needed to get up.

“Don’t worry, Liebling. I’ll be right back,” he muttered into her hair as he kissed the top of her head one last time before leaving her side. He walked into the hallway and realized there was a lot he had forgotten to do. Locking the door wasn’t one of them, but he  _ did _ forget to put the pizza and wings in the fridge and turn off the lights and the Waystation. His member hardened immediately at the memory of  _ why _ he had forgotten to do these things. He cleaned up the kitchen and turned the lights off in the living room when he realized that feeling was still there. 

_ Okay...I really feel like I forgot something. Something vital, but I’m having a hard time figuring it out. Maybe I should just make myself busy? Shin-ae will probably, no, will absolutely be hungry when she wakes up, so I’ll make her some breakfast. _

_ \- - - - - _

Dieter looked up from his frying pan to see Shin-ae had woken up and was...wearing his clothes? She had on his now-infamous bear boxer briefs and a t-shirt of his which she was swimming in. He didn’t care that she was wearing his clothes. In fact, his cock sprang to life at the sight of sleepy Shin-ae wearing his clothing after waking up from a late night of passionately hugging. No, he was just simply  _ mortified _ that she had to pick out  _ those _ specific clothing items, his bear boxers in general.

With blood pooling to his nether regions, he desperately tried to hide his growing erection before she saw, but as he turned away from her, he noticed her face turning a soft pink.

“Hey…” she said softly.

“H-hey! Want some breakfast?”

“Always,” she said, walking up to him. 

“I don’t mind you wearing my clothes, but did you have to pick out  _ those _ boxers?” She gave him a huge grin, which eased some of his tension.

“I like these! I was almost disappointed to see you weren’t wearing them last night.”  _ Almost _ , “I told you, Dieter, I don’t want you hiding pieces of you from me. I like  _ you. _ You make me happy. Which brings up the...What was last night for you?”

_ Only the best night of my entire life. A night I’ve dreamed of for months now. _

“I think we should discuss that after breakfast. I want to talk about it with you...I don’t want to overstep boundaries…” She smiled at him and agreed. She stood beside him, and they just talked like nothing was different, even though they were both wearing a pair of his underwear and one of his shirts...Oh yeah, and the fact that he had a raging hard-on.

_ \- - - - - _

“Ok, it’s time to talk about last night,” Shin-ae said with an almost sad look on her face. Her expression worried Dieter; he had thought maybe she would finally agree to be his girlfriend. He sighed

“Yes, I suppose it is time,” he said solemnly.

“First of all, I want you to know that I had a great time last night. And I wasn’t lying when I said I like you. I started to develop feelings for you since our first date.” That caught Dieter off guard. She had never referred to it as a date before, at least not to him. Then he noticed her lip start to quiver, and he immediately took her hands and held them. Regardless of what she was about to say, she was his dear friend, and she was hurting, and he needed to offer some sort of comfort. 

“But you can’t do this,” Dieter said, feeling deflated. He really thought things were turning around.

“Dieter, I feel like I lead you on. I’m so sorry. I should have controlled myself better.”

“I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up so quickly. I knew what your boundaries were, and after last night I just threw them away. I’m sorry for making you uncomfortable. If you would like to back to being acquaintances...I understand.”

“No! No, that’s not what I want at all,” Shin-ae let out a big sigh. Dieter could tell this was hard for her.  _ I shouldn’t have put her in this situation. _

“Look, I’m not scared of you leaving me, at this point. What I’m scared of is me leaving you. I know how much that would hurt you. I don’t trust myself not to hurt you. I’ve told you a little bit about my mom and how that all went down. It probably is something that I’m predisposed to or something.” Dieter squeezed her hand lightly and looked into her eyes.

“Then don’t. Don’t leave,” Dieter said just above a whisper. Sadness flashed in Shin-ae eyes as she tried to decide what to say to that.

“This is what I want. If you don’t want it, I’m ok with that. I don’t want to hurt you. I’m trying to be more open with people, and I feel like you’re the easiest person to be honest with...and I appreciate you for that.” Shin-ae let go of his hands and continued.

“I don’t want to promise you that I will eventually be ready to commit. I don’t know if I ever will...but these past few months, you’ve broken down my barrier. On the other hand, I don’t want to promise that nothing will happen between you and me or that I will never commit to you.”

“So, do you need us to go back to being acquaintances?”

“No, I still want to be your friend. I want to continue to get closer to you...but I also don’t want to get your hopes up, only to end up hurting you. Does that make sense? Are you okay with that.” Shin-ae let Dieter think of a response. She could see confusion and disappointment flash across his face.

“Ok, I think I’m ok with that. I mean, basically, we’d just go back to how it was before, and I was happy with that arrangement. I’m honestly relieved you still want to be close friends.”

“I’m relieved that you want to still be close friends with me,” Shin-ae said as she faintly smiled at him, “Can we still hang out one on one?” A warm blush crept up Dieter’s cheeks.

“Only if you’re ok with that. I don’t want to ruin anything further.”

“Dieter, you didn’t ruin anything. If anyone ruined anything, it’s me.” Dieter didn’t quite believe that, but he was counting his blessings. She didn’t blame him for the night before, and she didn’t even seem to regret it.  _ I hope someday we can be more... _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, readers, things will get better. There will be some fluffy stuff and then angsty stuff, but this story will have a happy ending. Just in case you're worried.
> 
> Also if you have any feedback for me, please do comment below. Thanks for reading. I'm trying to get a new chapter out every day, so hopefully, I can keep that rate up.


	6. Chapter 6: Birthday Aftermath

If there’s one thing that Dieter noticed about the Shin-ae’s behavior after his birthday, it was that she was very close. Like physically close. It had been a little over five weeks since his birthday, but they hadn’t hung out any less, which Dieter was thankful for. Although, he did notice Shin-ae blush more and spend just a couple extra seconds looking into his eyes than usual. He was sure he was doing the same as her. Since his birthday, he had fallen hopelessly more in love with her, and he really did not want this to end.

Dieter sat at a booth with Soushi, Maya, and Rika at their favorite burger joint. Dieter was excited to see Shin-ae, even though it had only been a few hours since he saw her at school. He found himself missing her more and more, especially since she decided to stay working for the Hiraharas at least until Yeong-Gi was off to college. Dieter was going to miss Yeong-Gi a lot when he left and was starting to understand why Shin-ae was so sad when Min-Hyuk left for Chicago.

“When’s Shin-ae getting here?” Soushi asked.

“Her and Yeong-Gi should be getting off work any minute now. They’ll be here soon,” Rika said while holding her new boyfriend’s hand. Sometimes seeing Rika and Soushi interact as a new couple made Dieter jealous, but he also knew that Soushi was going to flip his shit if he ever found out Dieter lost his virginity before him so that kind of made up for it.

“Wait, no, here they come right now,” Maya said, pointing towards the door and waving. Dieter’s heart started racing, and he looked down at the table to try and hide the blush creeping up his cheeks.  _ Why am I so nervous to see her. I spent lunch with her nearly every day for the past six months or so. Not to mention all the times we’ve hung out on weekends and after school. Get it together. _ Dieter looked up to see Shin-ae start to sit next to him.

“Hey, is this seat taken? How’s your afternoon been?”

“Uneventful. How about you?” Yeong-Gi started laughed as he sat next to Shin-ae.

“You guys, Shin-ae did the greatest thing today,” Yeong-Gi said, and Shin-ae groaned and dropped her face in her hands.

“No, please don’t. I don’t want everyone concerned.”

“She threw up on Kousuke’s shoes! She’s my hero, and I’m buying her dinner tonight.”

“Shin-ae, are you okay? Are you catching something?” Dieter asked. He was always concerned about her well being, but he also knew she was strong and could take care of herself. But he’d never even heard about her getting sick like that in the past, so this didn’t seem like a fluke thing. She looked up at him and smiled.

“No, I’m ok. I felt fine right before and right after. It was such a sudden thing that came out of nowhere. I was checked for a fever, and I don’t have one, but if you guys want me to wear a mask just in case, I did bring one.

“Nah, it’s cool. You were probably just disgusted with Kousuke’s attitude. He yell at you a lot?” Soushi asked.

“No-well yeah. I mean, I’ve gotten pretty used to it at this point. He doesn’t scare me anymore, and I’m technically out of contract at the moment, so I could leave at any time.

“And you’re feeling okay now?” Dieter asked, not having taken his eyes off of her this entire time. He felt her scoot closer to him so that their hips were touching.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she said as she took a sip of his water.

“Alright, well after this, everyone stay away from Dieter, since Shin-ae is giving him her cooties,” Soushi teased.

“Psh, as if she hasn’t already. Especially with how often they hang out now,” Maya said while making kissy noises. Shin-ae threw a french fry at her.

“Piss off! Nothing is going on between us. You’re going to make Dieter uncomfortable.”

“We’re just kidding, calm down!”

“Hey speaking of Dieter, you guys wanna go to his place after this? He’s got this sick new gaming set up, and he and I wanted to play this new game that just came out. You cool with that Diets?” Soushi asked.

“Yeah, I’m cool with that. My sister won’t be home till later, but I’m sure it won’t be a problem.”

“Rika and I won’t be able to make it,” Maya said, “We’ve got nail appointments early tomorrow.”

“Yeah, I’ve got some family business to take care of tomorrow, so I think I’ll pass for tonight. Maybe next time,” Yeong-Gi said, not meeting anyone’s eyes. Shin-ae knew all too well what that meant. Mrs. Hirahara had something planned.

“Looks like it’s just us two then,” Soushi shrugged and said with a sigh, obviously trying to hide the fact that he was bummed he wouldn’t be able to hang out with his new girlfriend tonight.

“Wait, I want to come,” Shin-ae said softly, looking up into Dieter’s eyes,” I haven’t seen you game in so long. You’re fun to watch.”

“Yeah, of course you can come over, Shin-ae. Always,” Dieter said without breaking this intimate staring contest they were apparently having with each other. Dieter noticed Shin-ae’s cheeks start to flush, and that sent him on a wave of emotions. He didn’t want to get his hopes up, but something told him that the relationship they shared was going to change very soon.

\- - - - -

Shin-ae almost fell asleep in the car on the way over to Dieter’s place. Shoushi had offered to drop Shin-ae off at home if she was too tired, but she insisted she wanted to come over. She wanted some normalcy after the weird day she had. Dieter, of course, was ecstatic that she wanted to spend time with him tonight. Despite Shin-ae’s avoidant personality, she asked to hang out almost every weekend since their amusement park adventure.

“Woah! This is so cool. I’ve never seen a computer like this. How does it light up?”

“Oh, the components in the computer are RGB light sources, so when they have a power supply, they light up all different kinds of colors,” Dieter explained. Shin-ae and him were in his room so that she could gawk over his new computer. He felt slightly embarrassed that he hadn’t made his bed this morning, but she didn’t seem to mind. 

“Yeah, your boy’s gunna be a pro-gamer pretty soon! He even got a streaming set up,” Soushi exclaimed, “Dieter, you could stream with Shin-ae! People would laugh so hard at her bad skill, haha!

“Hey, I may not be able to compete with Dieter, but I bet I could kick your ass!” Shin-ae shot back at him, which only made Soushi laugh harder.

“Hey, if you wanna test that right now, I’m totally down, mate,” Soushi laughed. Dieter couldn’t help but laugh as well. He liked that Shin-ae and Soushi started getting along, even if it’s in this weird, combative way.

“Oh, it’s on! Dieter, I’ll take you on after I pummel Soushi into the dirt.”

\- - - - -

Shin-ae did not, in fact, pummel Soushi into the ground. Soushi had Shin-ae beat within the first 3 minutes of the battle royale round. She blamed her performance on her sleepiness, but the guys paid no attention to her excuses. They knew Shin-ae was just bad at video games, but would never admit it.

Dieter was having a fun night listening to Soushi argue with Shin-ae about anything and everything. They argued about gameplay, they argued about which fast-food chain had the best fried chicken and many other random topics. Despite their arguing, the air still contained the lightness of a relaxing evening. Clearly, they weren’t fighting; it was just banter between two friends.

Pretty soon, the banter between Soushi and Shin-ae died down while he and Soushi concentrated on their match together. Dieter felt the warmth of Shin-ae’s body start to slump closer to him, and before he knew it, he heard little snores coming from her. He glanced down at her, and his heart swelled with affection. She looked so peaceful, not to mention she was leaning on him. She had the entire rest of the couch to lay on, and she diced to cuddle up next to him. It was moments like these that kept Dieter optimistic about his future with Shin-ae.

“Ok mate, what is going on between you two. Be real with me,” Soushi said quietly, pulling Dieter out of his trance. 

“There’s nothing…” but Dieter couldn’t find the lie in Soushi’s question. Memories came flooding Dieter’s mind, memories of rejection, passion, and good times with her and friends. His face turned a deep crimson at the particular thought from a few weeks prior. Just before he could find the right words to reply, Soushi interrupted him.

“We all know something’s going on. You don’t have to tell me, but I am happy for you. Even when I’ve been around Shin-ae without you, I can tell she’s into you.”

“Wait; what? Seriously?”

“Oh yeah, she’s into you. On your birthday, when we were picking up your surprise cake, she texted you and just got this huge, dopey smile. She tried to hide it, of course, but it was so obvious.” 

“I don’t want to overstep any boundaries with her…” He lowered his voice to a husky whisper, “But we  _ have _ been getting closer…”

“Dude, what happened on your birthday?” Soushi whispered. The last thing he wanted to do was have Shin-ae wake up to Dieter spilling all their juicy secrets,” You looked so sad that day after. I thought things went south with you two, but you guys have only seemed closer.”

“Let’s just say, things went better than I expected,” Dieter said, glancing down at her to make sure she hadn’t woken up, “But we are still just friends.”

“I really hope she comes to her senses soon. You guys are so good together. And Shin-ae’s cool. I like her. At first, I thought she was bad news with how the Hirahara party went. I couldn’t imagine why you liked her, but I get it now.” Soushi said, peering over at the sleeping bundle, “Also, I’m surprised you haven’t fainted yet.”

Shin-ae started to stir, and as much as Dieter cherished this, he knew it was selfish to make her stay here and lay in this uncomfortable position. He nudged her awake, gently trying not to startle or embarrass her.

“Shin-ae, do you want to go home? I can have Soushi take you home since you’re tired.” Shin-ae looked up at him bleary-eyed and then laid her head on his thigh with her body facing his. Dieter stiffened and turned his signature crimson red.

“Can I just lay here instead. I’m so comfortable.” She started to doze back into sleep, and Dieter shot a terrified look over to Soushi.

“Okay, as your wingman, I forbid you from making her leave.”

“Are you crazy? Do you see where her head is right now? What if she wakes up and is embarrassed that she fell asleep like this. What if she gets upset with me for letting her rest like this?” Dieter asked frantically.

“Yeah, something tells me that’s not going to happen, but how about I stick around for another hour or two in case she wakes up and needs a ride home. Plus, I’m completely addicted to this game now.” Soushi turned back to the TV to continue the game,” Ready for another round?” Dieter nodded, not entirely trusting that everything was just going to be ok. Also, he didn’t trust his body not to respond to this situation, but hopefully playing this game would take his mind off of it slightly.

A few hours went by, and Soushi finally left. Dieter wanted to make sure he had Shin-ae moved before his sister got home, so he started stroking Shin-ae’s silky hair to wake her.

“Hey Shin-ae,” Dieter whispered, “How about you take my bed tonight, and I’ll sleep out here on the couch. I can even lend you some clothes to wear to sleep.”

“Ummm, could you maybe…” Shin-ae sat up and rubbed her eyes, “Could you maybe sleep with me. Just sleep, nothing else?” Dieter’s heart practically lept out of his chest. That’s all he had wanted to do for weeks now. Dieter nodded and led her to the bedroom. He let her pick out some clothes to wear, left the room while she changed, and when she was finished, he slid into bed with her, cradling her body against his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Hope you are enjoying the story so far. Things are about to start getting angsty, but probably not too angsty.


	7. Chapter 7: Smells

Shin-ae woke up to the wonderful, borderline almost overpowering smell of Dieter. He’d always smelled good to her, but lately, she was enthralled by it. If she was being honest with herself, every scent was stronger to her lately, which is what made her instantly nauseous yesterday. The Hirahara brothers had a smell to them that was leather-ish, but also cologne-y. Shin-ae was never bothered by it before, but yesterday it twisted her stomach into knots while she was standing next to Kousuke. Yeong-Gi’s smell didn’t bother her, but he had more of a clean smell to him, while Kousuke had a sandalwood smell.

Dieter’s smell was entirely different from the brothers. He had an earthy, sweet smell. It was herbal and musky in all the right ways, but it had never driven her crazy as it did now. Right now she wanted to climb on top of him and ride out this desire making its way down her body, to the sacred place between her legs. The place he had touched...with his hot hands. Hands that she just now noticed, were wrapped around her midsection, holding her close 

She knew she needed to move. She couldn’t stay in bed with him like this and let these feelings overtake her. They would only bring pain and loss and she could not handle losing this guy. She started to pull away, but he only strengthened his hold on her. She always forgot how strong he was. For such a gentle and caring person who reminded her of a teddy bear, he was very fit and active. Just then, she felt his face against the back of her neck get hot as he inhaled deeply and started to loosen his grip on her. Despite wanting to be free from his hold just moments ago, she felt slightly panicked at the loss of contact and snatched his hand before he could pull away completely. She didn’t understand why she did that, but she needed his contact. He nuzzled back into her hair, his face feeling even hotter.

“Good morning…” he croaked out in a voice that made shivers run down Shin-ae’s spine.

“Good morning. How did you sleep?”

“Very well. It’s been a few weeks since I slept that soundly,” he said, tightening his grip on her slightly. Shin-ae started to scoot into his body, trying to steal some of his warmth, when she felt something hard press into the back of her legs. Simultaneously, they both threw themselves in opposite directions of each other.

“Ah! I’m so sorry! It’s the morning. I’m sorry!” Dieter cried out looking mortified. Shin-ae relaxed slightly. She knew that wasn’t the only reason he was hard, but she wasn’t going to embarrass him further. Now that they were separated, it was much easier for Shin-ae to get up now. 

“Don’t worry about it. Do you want to get some breakfast? I have to go into work for a couple of hours at noon, but It would be nice to do something before work,” She said, giving him a soft smile.

“Yes! That sounds great!” Dieter said, a little too enthusiastically.

\- - - - - 

“I thought Kousuke didn’t have you working on weekends? When did that change?” Dieter and Shin-ae were sitting at a cafe together. Dieter had gotten a light breakfast of toast, eggs, and sausage, while Shin-ae had her usual mountain of food. She had only taken a few bites of her waffle before she had put her silverware down and was looking uncomfortable.

“This is just a one-time thing. Kousuke is preparing for the quarter-end financials meeting and needs some assistance. It’s only going to be for a couple of hours. Yeong-Gi said he’d be there to keep me company, so I’m not dreading it too much.”

“Shin-ae, are you ok? Is there something wrong with your food?”

“No, my food’s actually really great...I’m just not feeling too well. There are too many smells right now.” Shin-ae started to break out in a cold sweat and Dieter knew what was about to happen. He flagged down the waiter and asked for to-go boxes, so they could get out of there quickly. Just as the waiter arrived with their to-go boxes, Shin-ae sprung out of her chair and rushed to the bathroom. Dieter was really worried about her now as he packed up their food and paid for their meals.

“Hey, let’s get you home so you can rest. You’re obviously sick,” Dieter said as Shin-ae came out of the bathroom. Her eyes were a little puffy and watery, but the color had returned to her face.

“Thanks, but I have to get to work now. I’ll be fine. I feel fine now. I’m just having issues with smells lately,” But Dieter wasn’t buying it. 

“You’re seriously going to go to work still? Shin-ae, you’ve gotten sick twice in the last 24 hrs. Kousuke can handle these things on his own. This is not worth you getting more sick,” Dieter sighed. He knew he wasn’t going to convince her that this was a bad idea,” I’m sorry, I’m not trying to tell you what to do. I’m just really worried about you.”

“It’s okay Dieter. I know you’re not trying to boss me around. It’s only for a couple of hours, so I know I’ll be fine.”

“Ok well, I packed our food together to give to you. Please at least eat some of this so you have something in your stomach,” Dieter handed her the food and they headed towards the bus stop. Shin-ae seemed fine, which made Dieter less anxious about her going to work.

_I’m sure she’s right. She’ll be fine._

\- - - - - 

“Miss Yoo, how are you feeling today?”

“I’m fine, sir. Went out for breakfast this morning, even.” Shin-ae couldn’t meet Kousuke’s eyes. She also knew she couldn’t get too close to him for fear that she would expel the very little contents of her stomach. She tried snacking on Dieter’s toast on the bus, but all the bumps and turns were not doing her stomach any favors.

“That sounds nice. Did you go with your girlfriends?” Kousuke sounded pleasant, but he looked as if he wasn’t even hearing her responses. On top of that, his nosey-ness was making her suspect he was up to something.

“No, actually, I went with Dieter,” She said timidly, wondering if she should tell him about the night before. Maybe it would get him to stop intruding on her personal life, “I ended up falling asleep at his house last night.”

Just as she finished, she heard the door behind her close. She whipped around to see Yeong-Gi smiling like an idiot. At that same moment, Kousuke started coughing. _Great, I am not going to hear the end of this from either of them._

“You stayed at Dieter’s last night? Right on! Did you guys make out?” Shin-ae backhanded his chest, which probably hurt her hand more than it hurt him.

“First of all, that’s none of your business. Second of all, no we did not. I was exhausted last night and fell asleep while he and Soushi were playing video games.”

“This is definitely not the place to be discussing these matters!” Kousuke snapped,” We have an extensive amount to do in a short period of time, so let’s just get on with it.”

“Yeah Yeong-Gi,” Shin-ae scolded, “Not the time or place.” Yeong-Gi held up his hands in a signal of defeat. They walked over to the file cabinet and started sorting the files, trying to find the most important financial statements. Kousuke sat down to do some analytics on spending trends. Shin-ae and Yeong-Gi sat far enough away that they could talk amongst each other without Kousuke hearing most of their conversation. At first, they chatted about school and finals coming up. Then, Yeong-Gi just _had_ to bring it up…

“So...Soushi tells me you fell asleep on Dieter’s _lap_ last night. Care to explain that one?” Yeong-Gi teased in a low voice. He knew Kousuke would get pissed if he overheard them talking about this. Personally, Yeong-Gi thought it was creepy how Kousuke treated Shin-ae; as if he cared for her. Shin-ae’s cheeks darkened in color and she looked away.

“I didn’t mean to. I was just so tired. And then when he woke me up to see if I wanted to go home I didn’t even want to stand up. I almost just climbed into his bed with my clothes on but he insisted I change into something more comfortable,” Shin-ae looked up to see Yeong-gi gawking at her,” What the hell are you making that fa-...Oh shit…”

“You slept in his bed?” Yeong-Gi said, about three octaves higher than his normal voice. That was sure to get Kousuke’s attention. She turned back to see him plugging away at his computer, unphased by the comment that was just made.

“Shhh! Don’t, seriously. We just slept. Fully clothed. Nothing but sleep happened.”

“Wait, he had the balls to sleep with you? I figured he would have taken the couch!” Shin-ae started to feel her heart racing. She let too much slip. Now there would be expectations from others around her. She enjoyed just having this between her and Dieter without others knowing. If they pushed her into a relationship with him, he would end up leaving, or worse; she would.

“Woah, hey, Shin-ae. I’m just excited, please don’t get all freaked out. You look really pale, can we just take some deep breaths?”

“Please don’t say anything to anyone. Please,” Shin-ae pleaded.

“Hey, don’t worry. I’m not going to tell anyone. Soushi only told me because he was excited to see this finally happening.

“See what finally happened?” Shin-ae asked, still frantic.

“You and Dieter are getting so close. We’ve all been hoping for this.” Yeong-Gi was trying to calm her down, but she was having none of this. He shouldn’t have brought this up. This was only going to push her away from Dieter. Shin-ae stood up like she was going to take off. As Yeong-Gi sat up to try and keep her from running away, she turned to look behind her, only to see an infuriated Kousuke. Suddenly Shin-ae felt like she was going to be sick again. She took two steps towards the door and then saw black...

\- - - - - 

One minute Shin-ae was standing there and the next minute she was lying in Yeong-Gi’s arms. Yeong-Gi caught her just before she landed on the ground and looked up at his brother accusingly.

“Dude, what the fuck?” Yeong-Gi said to a clearly upset Kousuke,” She just looked at you and fainted. What did you do?”

“What the hell are you talking about? I did nothing to her. She merely looked over at me and started to run. What were you two talking about that had her so flustered?”

“You know damn well what we were talking about. She looked at you and was scared. Were you giving her a look? What, the girl can’t talk about her boyfriend without you getting mad at her for slacking off?” Yeong-Gi started to raise his voice and Kousuke matched his volume.

“He is not her boyfriend! I am not upset with miss Yoo for spending her time with anyone!”

“I didn’t ask if you were upset...but I guess that answers my next question,” Yeong-Gi stood with Shin-ae in his arms,” Look Kousuke, I know you are lonely and you’ve got serious self-esteem issues, but don’t make Shin-ae get caught up in your problems. She has enough to worry about. You have to stop this creepy crush on her.”

“You are being ridiculous. I have no feelings of the sort for Miss Yoo, or anyone for that matter. Let me give you two a ride to the hospital-”

“No, you stay here. I will take her and then I will call her _boyfriend_ to come stay with her since you don’t like seeing me get close to her either. But you need to leave her alone right now.”

\- - - - - 

It had been about an hour since she passed out when she finally woke up. Yeong-Gi explained to her what happened and let her know that he was calling people for her to let them know she was in the hospital but would be released soon. She told him not to call her dad, since she would be released. She didn’t want to worry him. The dr said it was due to low blood sugar which made Yeong-Gi think that maybe she wasn’t eating again. Ultimately, she was fine, though.

Yeong-Gi pulled out his phone as Shin-ae fell back asleep and shot a text out to Dieter.

_Hey...Don’t freak out. Shin-ae and I are at the hospital. Shin-ae fainted at work today_

_and I rushed her over here. She’s fine, Dr says everything is ok, but she had low blood sugar._

_I_ _thought I would let you know so you can come see her. Did she eat this morning?_

_She had a really weird anxiety attack_ _at the office today…_

  
  


_I GAVE HER THE REST OF MY BREAKFAST, DID SHE GET SICK AGAIN?_

  
  


_Again? Did she get sick this morning? She seemed fine until the anxiety attack…_

  
  


_I KNEW SHE SHOULDN’T HAVE GONE IN TO WORK TODAY._

_I’m borrowing my sister’s car, I’ll be there in 10 minutes._


	8. Chapter 8: Diagnosis

When Dieter arrived, Shin-ae was sleeping. Yeong-Gi was talking on the phone with someone and waved him into the room. It panicked Dieter to see Shin-ae hooked up to IVs and machines. When Yeong-Gi finally ended his call, Dieter turned to him.

“I thought you said she was ok?”

“Don’t worry, she is. They just want to get some fluids in her because she’s a tad dehydrated. You said she got sick again this morning?” Dieter nodded.

“Yeah, that would explain the dehydration...I heard she stayed at your place last night,” Yeong-Gi asked. Dieter started to blush as he was filled with a weird mixture of embarrassment and pride, even though they didn’t do anything other than sleep and cuddle. Yeong-Gi continued, “Did she get sick last night as well?”

“No. Well I slept pretty hard, so I guess I don’t know for sure, but I certainly didn’t hear anything...or feel her get up.” Dieter couldn’t quite meet Yeong-Gi’s eyes. He didn’t want to confirm or further his suspicions of what happened last night.

“Don’t worry, I know that nothing happened. Shin-ae just let it slip that she stayed over and slept with you in your bed...Either way, I’m happy for you, man,” Yeong-Gi said as he rested a hand on Dieter’s shoulder. 

It was moments like these where Dieter was reminded of how much he loved his friends. His friends teased him, yeah, but they also knew Shin-ae and how she was about dating. They honestly acted like they wanted her and Dieter to end up together. His friends overstepped boundaries sometimes, but their intentions weren’t malicious.

Yeong-Gi and Dieter sat near the hospital bed in comfortable silence, listening to Shin-ae’s heart monitor beep. The room was dimmed and had that traditional, sterilized smell hospitals have. It made Dieter sick to see Shin-ae in this state. He’d seen her sleep-deprived, concussed, and devastated, but he’d never seen her sick.

“So what’s wrong with her? Why is she so sick?”

“The Dr did a blood test and said that when she woke up he would disclose that information to her.”

“Do you think it’s serious?” Dieter asked. He wasn’t sure what to think of the doctor’s answer. Apparently Yeong-Gi didn’t either, because he sat there with his brow knitted together in silence for a few moments. 

“I don’t know...I mean, it’s not unheard of for doctors to withhold sensitive info from people who aren’t’ related to the patient. It’s to protect the patient. But what’s happening to her is definitely worrisome.” As Yeong-Gi was finishing that thought when there was a knock at the door, followed by a man in a white lab coat walking in. The sound of the knock woke Shin-ae up and when her eyes landed on Dieter she smiled, which made his face flush.

“Hi miss Yoo, I’m going to be your doctor for the rest of your visit here. We’re getting ready to discharge you, but I need to go over some things with you,” He turned to the boys,” Are either of you family members?” Dieter was forming the word “no” when Yeong-Gi interrupted, slapping Dieter on the back firmly.

“This one’s the boyfriend. I’ll head out to get some food so Shin-ae can have some privacy,” As Yeong-Gi was getting up Dieter was stuttering trying to deny Yeong-Gi’s claims. Shin-ae was glaring at him, but not putting up a fight.

“Shin-ae, would you like this man to stay or leave?” the doctor asked. Shin-ae was unsure for a moment and then asked,

“Is it really so serious that I should consider him not being in here? This is starting to worry me…”

“I just want to give you privacy if you would like it,” The doctor wasn’t rude, but he wasn’t particularly kind either. He was rather blunt.

“If I could choose any of my friends to be in here with me, I’d choose him, so if he’s okay with staying…” She turned her head to Dieter. Dieter blushed and scooted his chair forward to be a little closer to Shin-ae and nodded. He was fearing the worse; considering cancer or a terminal disorder.

“Alright, well I need to know when the first day of your last period was,” The doctor stated. Shin-ae turned her head as her cheeks started to flame. Dieter wished he had just left instead of staying; not that he cared about the details of Shin-ae’s period. He had an older sister and was around women in his everyday life, so this really didn’t bother him. He was just worried about Shin-ae’s comfort, now.

“Umm, I honestly couldn’t tell you,” Shin-ae croaked. Dieter’s eyes widened and his face turned a pale color as he looked at her.

“And this didn’t strike you as odd?” The doctor asked.

“No, my periods aren’t regular. They’ve never been regular, so I never bothered to track them.”

“Well did you know that you are pregnant, then?” Dieter’s jaw clenched and Shin-ae sat there with her mouth open. She looked confused and tired, but not as shocked and anxious as Dieter. The doctor continued, “I’m going to take that as a no. Is this the father?” Shin-ae turned her head slowly to Dieter, tears starting to form in her eyes.

“Ye-yes he would be, but I don’t understand how this is possible? I was told that due to my low body weight and irregular periods it was highly unlikely for me to get pregnant. At least until my periods became normal,” Shin-ae said with a quivering voice. Dieter let his instincts take over and grabbed her hand. Tears started streaming down her face at the contact, but she clung to his hand anxiously.

“It may have been highly unlikely, but it’s still possible. You should always be using protection regardless. I was hoping to calculate how far along you were, but we’ll need an ultrasound to do that if it’s been more than two months since your period.” Shin-ae nodded and Dieter chimed in.

“We have the date that we...um,” He hadn’t told anyone that they had been sexually active the night of his birthday and he was having trouble finding the right words, “That we...had...sex…” The doctor looked at him expectantly, beckoning him to continue, “It was May 6th.”

“I couldn’t give you a very accurate number based on that, due to the way the female egg matures, but I can say you’re about 7 or 8 weeks along, then. Your due date is around the end of January. Congratulations,” The doctor handed Shin-ae a few papers,” Here is information on what your next steps are. You’ll want to schedule an appointment with an OBGYN and at that appointment, they can discuss termination and adoption options, or if you decide to go through with the pregnancy, that will be discussed as well. You are free to leave once the nurse has removed your IVs and if you would like to schedule an appointment with an OBGYN here at the hospital, you can do so at the front desk.” The doctor turned and left, leaving the door open.

Shin-ae started softly sobbing at that point. Dieter immediately stood up and hugged her, holding her close and muttering typical phrases into her hair. This was all his fault and the only thing he could think to say to her was, “It’ll be alright. We can do whatever you’d like to do.”

Yeong-Gi walked into the room and abruptly stopped to see Shin-ae sobbing into Dieter’s chest and a wide-eyed, tear-filled Dieter looking at him with a terrified expression. At that moment Dieter had realized what he had forgotten that night. When he woke up that next morning he couldn’t figure it out, but now he knew. In a moment of intense passion, and lack of experience, Dieter had forgotten to do what he had been told many times to do. This was pounded into his head back in middle school and throughout high school and he had forgotten it due to being overwhelmed and absorbed in Shin-ae’s heat. The thing he had forgotten that night was the damn condom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the late update today! I aim to have these updates posted by 7am PT, but this morning I had a migraine.
> 
> Also, just as a heads up, the next chapter contains talk about abortion. Not in a whole lot of detail, but since termination of pregnancy is mentioned, I wanted to give a heads up to the people who might be more sensitive to that topic.
> 
> As always, thanks for reading!


	9. Chapter 9: Comfort

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning* this chapter contains discussion about abortion. It's very little, but it is there.

Shin-ae didn’t know how long she had been sobbing in Dieter’s arms for, but she was starting to get a headache and really needed to get it together. She pulled away and looked up at him to see him giving her a faint, teary smile.

“What are we going to do, Dieter…?”

“Let’s talk about that later,” he said as he nodded his head towards the door. Shin-ae turned to see Yeong-Gi standing there trying not to watch them. A nurse walked in only a few moments later and Dieter kissed Shin-ae’s forehead and backed away to let the nurse do her thing. The devastation Shin-ae felt was similar to when she found her dad unconscious a few months ago, but completely different at the same time.

“Shin-ae?,” Yeong-Gi piped in softly, “Dieter drove here. Do you want him to take you home or do you want me to?” Shin-ae didn’t know what she wanted at that moment. On one hand, it almost made her sick to be around him, since this was the result of their mistake, but at the same time, she couldn’t imagine spending any time away from him right now. It’s not that Dieter made her sick, it was more of the consequence of what had happened between them.

“I think I’ll have Dieter take me,” Shin-ae sniffled, “but thank you so much for taking care of me today. I really really appreciate you, Yeong-Gi.” Yeong-Gi smiled and walked towards her, grabbing her hand.

“Of course! Let me know if you need anything. I’m always here to listen and help out. You can tell me what’s going on when you’re ready.” He turned and walked towards the door. Just before exiting he looked back at Dieter and waved goodbye. For a while, Shin-ae thought that Yeong-Gi liked her. He was super clingy and borderline abrasive with his friendship-making tactics. But since the incident at the formal, she felt he had pulled back considerably. He was still an extremely important friend to her and she couldn’t imagine her life without him now. She also couldn’t imagine how she was going to tell him about this.

\- - - - 

“I don’t want to be alone tonight,” Shin-ae said turning to Dieter. She knew when she got home she was just going to start crying again and she was quite tired of crying alone. She spent her entire life bottling up her emotions and only breaking down when she was out of sight from other people, but tonight she wasn’t ready to hide.

“Do you want me to call Rika or Maya?”

“No...do you not want to spend time with me anymore...now that I’m in this predicament?” Shin-ae said. She was sure he was going to pull back now. She was just starting to consider being more with him. She wasted all of that time turning him down, only for him now to reject her and their-

“Of course I want to spend time with you,” He said taking her hand,” First of all, I will never  _ not _ want to spend time with you. I will always be by your side if you let me. Second, this isn’t your predicament. This is our predicament.  _ You  _ wouldn’t be in this mess if it weren’t for me anyway.” Sadly, Shin-ae didn’t quite believe him. Everyone could leave her at one point and she wouldn’t be completely shocked. Devastated, yes, but shocked? No.

“I would love to spend tonight with you. I’d prefer to not be alone either, but I don’t feel like I could leave you at home alone tonight. Here’s the problem, though. My mom and sister are home tonight and they definitely wouldn’t let me have a girl stay over.”

“My dad won’t be home till around 3 or 4 am. He works nights still, so we could at least stay in my room until he gets home. Right now, I really don’t care about his no boys rule.” Shin-ae turned her head to look out the window, but not before noticing Dieter’s blush started to creep up along his cheeks. She faintly smiled to herself and hoped that their kid inherited that easily flustered trait.

“Okay, I’m ok with that. I can move out to the couch before he gets home. Let’s pick up some food. You have got to be starving.” 

“I don’t feel like eating,” Shin-ae said

“Okay, well I’m going to run into that fried chicken place we like and get us some. You can eat later.”

Dieter parked and exited the car, leaving Shin-ae alone with her thoughts. She’s not sure why she was hoping for certain traits in this baby; she didn’t even want kids. Did Dieter want kids? She wasn’t sure if he did, they’d never talked about this before. She was hit with another wave of sadness at this point, thinking about the time that she’s spent with him. They could have been dating and discussing these kinds of things and making plans for situations like this, but Shin-ae was too damaged. She was only reminding herself that he deserved so much better than her. She was sure he would find someone better eventually and either regret being with her or leave her for the other girl. Tears started coming down again at this point and she so desperately wanted to text either Min-Hyuk or Yeong-Gi about this, but how could she? She can’t tell them about this.

Shin-ae started to panic again. She wanted to throw up, and probably not just from the pregnancy nausea. She wasn’t going to refer to it as “morning sickness” because it was no longer morning and the nausea didn’t only hit in the morning. She was going to have to deal with this for another eight or nine months? Of course, she could just terminate the pregnancy. That was probably the smart thing to do, right? Her and Dieter graduate in a week and then he was off to college in just a few short months. Dieter had gotten into a pretty good school too, she didn’t want to ruin this for him.

But then there was the part of her that knew of her own struggles with abandonment. Is it considered abandoning her child if she gets an abortion? She knew adoption was out of the question. Sure, it was a great thing to do for another family, but she just couldn’t. She definitely would feel like she was abandoning her child if she chose to adopt them out. So her choice was either to terminate or keep…

Dieter returned with the food which smelled heavenly. Maybe she should eat? It would be better for the baby...then again, she shouldn’t be considering those things if she planned on terminating, right? What was her plan?

“You’re crying,” Dieter said sympathetically, wiping a tear from her cheek with his rough hands,” What are you thinking about?”

“What are we going to do?” Dieter waited for her to continue while he buckled in and pulled out of the parking spot. When she didn’t continue, he spoke up.

“Well, I think that’s really up to you, Shin-ae. This is your body after all.”

“Yeah, but this is  _ your _ baby,” Shin-ae said, instantly regretting it. Saying that  _ did _ something to both of them. They both blushed and became fidgety at that comment. This baby was a part of them both. Dieter put this little peanut inside of Shin-ae after sharing the most intimate night of their lives. Was their baby really a negative result of that?

“Oh no…”Shin-ae said, lowering her hands to her face.

“What? What’s wrong,” Dieter said in a panicked voice.

“Maya is going to have an absolute field day with this.”

\- - - - 

Shin-ae did feel better after eating something. She felt less emotional and more prepared to have this conversation with Dieter. Dieter was still a nervous wreck, even more so now that Shin-ae was walking around. He followed her almost everywhere, prepared to catch her if she stumbled.

“Dieter,” Shin-ae said with a hint of frustration, “I am fine. You don’t have to follow me around.”

“Oh shit, sorry,” Dieter said, blushing, “I didn’t even realize I was hovering over you. I guess I just want to protect you.” Shin-ae was glad she was turned away from him because that made her face hot with arousal. His desire to protect her and keep her and their baby out of harm’s way was definitely an attractive move on his part.

“Have you given any more thought to what you want to do about this?” Dieter asked, sitting on her bed to keep himself from hovering anymore. She had been folding clothes and putting them away so that the place was at least somewhat tidy while he was here.

“I...I don’t want to make this decision on my own,” She said, turning to him with sadness in her eyes. It made her upset to know he didn’t want a part in this decision. What if he didn’t want to have a part in their lives if she kept it.

“Oh, so you want my opinion?,” Shin-ae nodded and Dieter continued, “Ummm, well, to be honest with you, I want to keep it,” He said just over a whisper. This shocked Shin-ae and dropped the shirt she was hanging and looked at him wide-eyed. He rubbed the back of his neck without meeting her gaze, clearly embarrassed.

“You...you what?” She couldn’t believe the words coming out of his mouth right now. She’d never met a guy before that wasn’t scared of the thought of having a family.

“Ye-yeah, I uh, well it doesn’t really matter. You don’t have to go through with this if you don’t want,” He said quickly.

“No, Dieter, I genuinely want to know now. Do you want kids?”

“Ummm...well I knew most of my life that eventually I did, but I never gave it much thought until...” He looked like a ripe tomato at this point. Shin-ae didn’t understand what he was so embarrassed about. This isn’t  _ that _ weird. If girls can plan out how many babies they want at such a young age, is it unheard of for guys to do the same?

“Tell me. Tell me what you were about to say,” Shin-ae said sitting next to him on the bed.

“I didn’t think about it in much detail until...I realized I had feelings...for you.”

“Why?”

“Uhm...because you were the first girl I’ve felt this way about.” The more he continued, the quieter he got, “I’ve had crushes on other girls, sure, but I have way stronger feelings for you than I ever did with any other girl.” Shin-ae was hit with a wave of emotion at that comment. Somehow she still doubted his true feelings but hearing him say that made her want to believe him so desperately.

“So, are you not scared to have a baby?”

“Oh I’m terrified,” he said, glad to have a slight change of subject, “but even as terrified as I am, I still want to raise it with you.” He looked up and his eye contact with her caused her to tear up again.

“You do?” She said as she tried to hold back sobs. He grabbed her and held her tightly.

“Yes more than anything in the world.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I've actually started working on fanart to post with these updates, so I'll start posting them soon.


	10. Chapter 10: Decision

“So Shin-ae, I heard you stayed at Dieter’s house last Friday?” Maya said with a mischievous look on her face, “How did that go?”

“How did you find out about that? Oh, wait, Soushi told Rika and Rika-”

“Told me!” Maya practically sang. She was way too excited for Shin-ae this morning. Being able to sleep next to Dieter two nights in a row had really helped Shin-ae get some much-needed rest, but it didn’t fix the nausea that was starting to become more and more prevalent.

“Wait, speak of the devil…” Maya looked past Shin-ae and waved. Shin-ae turned to see Rika and Dieter walking towards them. When she and Dieter locked eyes they both blushed slightly, which did not go unnoticed by Maya.

“So when’s the wedding?” Maya asked.

“Shut up Maya,” Shin-ae turned back to her best friend’s sister and glared. She was _not_ in the mood for this today. She was dreading class and she would have to work tonight as well which she was dreading even more. At least at school, she just had to sit and listen. At work, she would have to endure Kousuke. She had planned on quitting soon, but now with her and Dieter in the situation they were currently in, she didn’t feel like it would be appropriate to quit. She was paid very well at this job and would be able to make some great money before having the baby.

Her and Dieter had agreed to give their options some more thought. Knowing that he wanted to have this baby with her left her feeling more inclined to go through with the pregnancy, but she still had her doubts. She feared she would end up leaving like her mom or end up with a drinking problem like her dad. She just didn’t trust herself to do the right thing in this situation. Not to mention, what does this mean for her and Dieter?

“Hey, how are you doing this morning?” Dieter asked as he and Rika arrived. Just before Shin-ae answered, Maya grabbed Rika’s hand.

“We’ll leave you two alone. You have some catching up to do,” Maya called out as she dragged Rika towards their classroom. Shin-ae rolled her eyes. At least things weren’t awkward between her and Dieter anymore. Well, at least, not like they used to be. Now they have a completely different dynamic that carried its own awkward atmosphere.

“I’m not feeling too good. On top of the nausea, I am dreading going to work. I don’t want to be around people today.”

“I’m so sorry Shin-ae. I wish there was something I could do.”

“Eh, I’ll be ok. How are you doing this morning?” Shin-ae asked as they started walking together towards their classroom.

“I’m actually doing pretty well. Yesterday I got an email from the gaming company, Wazer. They want to do a sponsorship since I’ve been getting a lot of traction on my streams.” He rubbed the back of his neck and Shin-ae’s mouth dropped.

“That’s. So. Cool! What does that entail?”

“Aha, yeah, They are giving me a headset and a mouse. I will get a cool overlay on my streams for the company and I will be added to a list of streamers that they promote. Every time we go live, they will post a link on Tweeter, so it brings more traction to the streams.”

“Wait, so do you get paid to do this?”

“Yeah we get add cents and people can subscribe for a monthly fee to support us. I’ve gotten quite a few subs over the past few weeks. I didn’t think anyone would like my streams, so I just did it for fun. But then people started to really like my stuff and started subbing,” Dieter sheepishly explained while Shin-ae stood there shocked. She had no idea he was making money from this. She didn’t even know he had started streaming as she just saw his set up a few days ago.

“Is this why you haven’t been stressed about...you know,” Shin-ae asked, causing Dieter to blush.

“Trust me, I’m very stressed about this, but the steady income definitely helps a lot. I’ll also be able to make money while going to school and have it not take up too much of my time, so that’s nice. That’ll leave more time for other...things.” That was a very comforting thought. Dieter and her would both be making money. Maybe this situation wouldn’t be so bad? If they decided to go through with it. Her stomach started to turn as she thought about their situation. Sometimes this would hit her really hard and other times she was really numb to it like it wasn’t actually happening. Dieter noticed she wasn’t feeling good and insisted they talk at her desk so she could sit down.

“Oh, by the way, Maya invited us to a graduation party for this upcoming Saturday. She told me to tell you there will be lots of food,” Dieter smiled, “You wanna ride together?”

“Party? Another one? Okay, fine, but only for the food,” Shin-ae’s mouth twitched as she heard the sweet sounds of his laughter wash over her.

\- - - - 

As their teacher droned on about finals prep, Shin-ae’s nausea only got worse. She had eaten half of a slice of toast this morning, hoping it would help, but now she regretted it. It was sitting in her stomach, which was going crazy. She started sweating and salivating and before she knew it she was bounding towards the door out into the hallway, trying to desperately find a trash bin in time.

Down the hall, as she was expelling the contents of her stomach, she could faintly hear Dieter frantically ask their teacher if he could follow her out into the hallway.

“Normally, I’d say no, but it sounds like something’s wrong, so go ahead,” Shin-ae heard the muffled voice of their teacher say and then the clip-clap of Dieter’s shoes running out of the classroom. Shin-ae started to silently cry. This is how she would spend the last week of school. A week that should be fun and exciting would now be brought down with the memory of her screw-up. She slid down the wall and sat on the ground and Dieter came up next to her and started rubbing her back and shoulders.

“Hey, it’s okay. It’ll be okay,” He softly said in hushed tones, “Do you want me to bring you to the nurse?”

“I don’t know,” She cried, trying to keep quiet, “It’s not like their going to tell me anything I don’t know. We already know what’s wrong with me and that I’m not contagious.” Dieter continued to rub her back. After a few minutes, she calmed down and was sniffling with her head resting on his shoulder. Dieter was looking down when he finally took a deep breath.

“I want to have this baby with you!” He exclaimed, not yelling, but more of a nervous statement. It reminded her of the time that he invited her to see a movie; like he just had to get it out in the open before he second-guessed himself. Shin-ae looked at him with a shocked expression at his interjection. She already knew he felt this way, but this time he was so firm that it shocked her. 

“If you want to terminate I completely understand and I will stand with you and support you during this whole process,” he whispered, “but I also want you to know that if you decide to go through with this, I will be by your side the whole time too. Either way, I’m here for the long run. I will not let you go through any of this alone.” Shin-ae let fresh tears freely roll down her face again. She was so scared of what was going to happen. Every time she felt like maybe this would work out, she would convince herself of the worst. They peered into each other’s eyes intensely for what felt like minutes, basking in this intimate silence. Finally, Shin-ae took a deep breath and looked ahead of her.

“I want to have this baby with you too…”


	11. Chapter 11: Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was inspired by a reylo fic called This Mess Is Mine. I thought the idea was so cute and I really wanted to spin it into this story. If you are a reylo, I'd definitely check out that fic.

Where. The hell. Did this come from…

Shin-ae woke up that morning feeling particularly bloated and nauseous, but she wasn’t expecting her stomach to look like this. It’s like her baby bump grew twice the size overnight. What used to be a flat expanse of skin for the last 8 or 9 weeks, was now a full-fledged mound. It’s a good thing that Dieter and she agreed that they would keep the baby before she started showing. She’s not sure she would have been able to terminate with her showing this much.

Why was she showing, anyways? She had thought women didn’t show until much later in the pregnancy. Then again, she knew very little about pregnancy to begin with. Like the fact, that morning sickness was not designated to just the mornings, which was the hardest part for Shin-ae to get used to. She figured that by noon the nausea would be over with and she could eat for the rest of the day, but that was not the case. She learned she needed to eat when she didn’t feel nauseous otherwise she wouldn’t know when the next chance to eat would arrive for her. Sometimes nausea would only last for a few hours and sometimes it was constant and she would have to fall asleep with only saltines and almonds in her belly.

Although they had only known about her pregnancy for a week, Dieter was exceptionally accommodating. He had started borrowing his sister’s car and giving Shin-ae a ride to school instead of him carpooling with Soushi and Rika. It was sweet how excited he was to see her every morning, but sometimes it made Shin-ae sick because she couldn’t always handle his happy mood when she was miserable. 

Last night she almost told her papa that he was her boyfriend. Her and Dieter walked together at graduation and her father made a comment about how close Dieter had been to her the entire night. She ended up not going through with it, though, for fear that it would lead to him finding out her pregnancy, which she was _not_ ready for. She realized now, she would not be able to hold off on telling people for much longer.

She grazed her hand over her belly, mesmerized by how hard it felt. She figured it would be soft and pudgy, but it was like there was a rock in there. She unlocked her phone to look up how big the baby was at this point when she received another text from Dieter.

  


Somehow, she doubted that, but she took his word for it. She just wouldn’t swim today. Shin-ae didn’t feel like swimming anyways. She decided to leave on her baggy tank top and her spandex cutoffs and refrain from bringing her swimsuit. She had considered wearing her denim shorts but was too nervous at this point, especially with how unpredictable this part of her body was now.

\- - - - 

By the time she and Dieter arrived at the party, Shin-ae was no longer nauseous and already on her way over to the food table. She didn’t notice herself becoming more hungry, but she missed eating and when she got the chance, she would stuff her face. She walked over to Min-Hyuk and hugged him. She had barely seen him yesterday with all the family crowding around him and Maya.

“Hey, how was the rest of your night?” He asked, enthusiastically.

“Eh, it was alright. I just ended up going to bed early,” she looked over to the other side of Rika’s oversized yard to see Dieter was having a hard time enjoying himself while she was so far away from him. He had become super protective during this whole situation, but it didn’t bother Shin-ae.

“Did you and Dieter hang out after the ceremony?” He said smoothly.

“No, he went out to dinner with his family. It was probably really nice for him. I don’t think he gets to see a whole lot of family,” she said while still staring at Dieter.

“So when are you two going to make your announcement?” Shin-ae snapped her head towards him while all the color drained from her face.

“W-what?” She asked shakily.

“You know, when are you going to announce that you guys are finally official? I’ve been hearing about how close you two have gotten,” Min-Hyuk said casually. Shin-ae’s face quickly went from clammy to hot as blush crept up her cheeks and ears. Min-Hyuk gasped and started laughing...loudly, “No way are you serious? I was only teasing you! This is aweso-” Shin-ae slapped her hand over his mouth and looked around to make sure no one was staring.

“Seriously Min-Hyuk, shut up. I will be honest with you,” she said in a hushed tone, “we are getting serious. But I am not ready to make that announcement yet and I need you to shut up until we do decide to make it.” She lifted her hand from his mouth hesitantly to see him smiling like an idiot. Just before he was able to say anything else, Soushi pushed Dieter into the pool and announced they were going to play pool volleyball.

Shin-ae watched as Dieter came out of the water and ran his hand through his short, platinum hair. He yelled something in German at Soushi and then whipped his shirt off. Shin-ae had only seen Dieter without a shirt one time and it was dark in the room. Now she was able to see the curves of his muscles in high definition and water droplets slick over his pink skin. Shin-ae stared long enough for everyone to notice she was the only one not getting in the water and when they called for her she hadn’t even heard them the first time. She turned her head dumbly towards Rika.

“What?”

“I said get in the pool! Why are you out there?”

“Oh, I uhh...didn’t bring a bathing suit. I’m kinda uncomfortable right now and don’t feel like getting wet.”

“You didn’t bring a swimsuit to a pool party?” Soushi called out.

“Hey, guys leave her alone. If she doesn’t want to get in the water she doesn’t have to,” Dieter said and swam over to the edge of the pool,” Shin-ae do you want to sit on the edge here and stick your feet in?” Shin-ae smiled at Dieter’s kindness. He was always trying to make her more comfortable and she’d always appreciated it. Now, however, she appreciated it even more given the secret between the two of them.

Shin-ae sat on the edge of the pool and played with her friends. Yeong-Gi, Min-Hyuk, and Dieter were clearly better athletes against Soushi, Rika, and Maya. Shin-ae hadn’t laughed with her friends like this in a while and it felt so good to do so. She had been so stressed with life the past few weeks with finals and not feeling well that she forgot what was happening outside of this game they were playing. Soon, though, she was brought back to reality when she got a particularly strong whiff of the chlorine which caused her insides to turn violently.

“Hey you okay,” Yeong-Gi had swam up to her and asked in a low voice,” Is your stomach hurting? You look like you’re in pain.” Shin-ae was taking shallow breathes, not knowing how to stop what she knew was coming. She shook her head at Yeong-Gi’s question and Yeong-Gi hopped out of the pool to help her up. The change in position caused Shin-ae to lose control and within seconds she was bent over the grass heaving. Midway through she felt Dieter’s hand on her lower back and soon everyone was clamoring around her, asking if she was ok. When she finished she stood up with tears in her eyes.

“Can I…”She started in a shaky voice, “Can I go inside for a few minutes and calm down?”

“Yeah of course! Let me help you. I’ll grab you a towel and you can relax on the couch with some water.

Rika brought Shin-ae in and handed her a towel and a water bottle. Dieter followed and sat with her and rubbed her back while she cried. She hated throwing up, but she hated being the center of attention even more. Now everyone had seen her puke on the lawn and everyone would be talking. When she had finally calmed down, she laid her head on Dieter’s bare shoulder and just let him rub her back.

“I’m sorry,” she finally squeaked.

“What are you sorry for?”

“Just being a mess. I’m not handling this whole situation very well. I’m always crying or throwing up or both. And I’m already so tired of it.” Dieter grabbed her chin gently and pulled her face up so he could look into her eyes.

“Hey, please do not apologize for that. You have nothing to be sorry about. What kind of person would I be if I made you feel bad for experiencing the very normal side effects of carrying my baby?” 

Suddenly, they heard a gasp behind them and twisted their bodies, looking behind them to see Soushi standing there with his mouth wide open. Dieter froze as red, hot embarrassment pooled onto his face. Shin-ae dropped her head in her hands trying to hide the mortification that was building up. Soushi looked between them a few times before finally breaking the silence.

“Carrying your baby? Baby???”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks for reading! I'm having a lot of fun drawing fanart for this fic, so you will definitely see more.
> 
> I had a dream last night that Quimchee posted a bunch of new chapters and I was sooooo sad when I woke up this morning. I miss her, but I hope she's doing well and taking care of herself.


	12. Chapter 12: Official

"Did I hear that correctly? Baby?” Soushi repeated getting louder and louder.

“What are you sneaking up on us for Soushi? What the hell?” Dieter fired back angrily.

“Umm am I not allowed to walk around in my own girlfriend’s house?”

“Oh my god, Soushi! Please be quiet! Just come. Sit. Here.” Shin-ae snapped and motioned for him to sit with them. Soushi followed, still looking shocked, “Please, do not tell anyone,” Shin-ae pleaded, “we will make this announcement when we are ready, but I am not. Please, please don’t say anything.”

“Oh my god this is actually real,” Soushi said massaging his temples, “I thought I misheard you. Dieter what the fuck, mate. I didn’t even think you would need the one condom I gave you, let alone need more! Why didn’t you get more?” Dieter dropped his head and turned slightly away from Shin-ae.

“I forgot to put on the condom…”

“Wait you had a condom and you didn’t use it?” Shin-ae asked angrily. She figured he just didn’t have one and forgot to even consider using one in the heat of their moment. Dieter kept facing away from her, shame building up in his voice.

“Soushi gave it to me just before he left. I completely forgot about it when we started…” he trailed off. Shin-ae remembered seeing Soushi hand Dieter something before he left and Dieter seemed less than enthusiastic about it. That must have been it.

“Why the hell did you give him a condom, Soushi?” Shin-ae asked while turning her attention away from her Dieter for a moment.

“What, are you saying he didn’t need it? Clearly he did! I was trying to look out for you guys. I told him we didn’t need blonde babies running around just yet, and here we are. Getting ready to chase blonde babies around the house, soon.” Soushi, Dieter, and Shin-ae sat in silence for a few moments; everyone trying to wrap their heads around the situation at hand. Soushi sighed and put his hand on Dieter’s shoulder, “Okay, I know I reacted poorly to this, but I want you to know I’m not upset with you guys. Actually this is so rewarding seeing this happen-”

“Watch it…” Shin-ae growled and Soushi chuckled.

“Everyone is going to be so excited to hear this, I swear. We’ve all been really excited to see you guys getting closer,” then Soushi trailed off, as if realizing something, “Wait, is this why? Is this why you’ve been getting closer? Because you guys are having a baby together?” It was one thing for Shin-ae to think about her having a baby with Dieter, but to hear her friend say it made things significantly more real and terrifying. A wave of nausea hit Shin-ae and she started sipping her water, leaving Dieter to speak on her behalf.

“Well, kinda. We only just found out that we’re expecting, but I think what happened on my birthday is what really pushed us to get closer,” Dieter bashfully said while rubbing the back of his head and neck.

“So what happened on your birthday?” Soushi asked suggestively, waggling his eyebrows.

“We made a baby. Ask for any further details and I will nut punch you,” Shin-ae said while taking another swig of her water, eliciting a snort out of Dieter

“Alright, alright,” Soushi said, holding his hands up in surrender, “I’ll keep this between us for now,” Soushi got up from the couch and started heading towards the back door, “Oh hey, are we still on for tomorrow?”

“Yeah, I’ll pick you up at noon,” Dieter said and cracked a sideways smile. Soushi gave him a thumbs up and exited the room.

“What are you doing with Soushi tomorrow?” Shin-ae asked.

“Oh, he’s helping me out with something.”

“Something that you can’t tell me about?” Shin-ae disappointingly asked and Dieter kissed the top of her head.

“It’s a surprise,” he whispered and got up from the couch, “You ready to go back out there?”

  
  


\- - - - 

“Hey so if it’s okay with you, I think we should talk about some things tonight,” Shin-ae said walking with Dieter out to his car. The air was cool now that the sun had gone down. After Shin-ae had calmed down over what had happened, Dieter had pushed her to eat some more food. They spent time with their friends for another four or so hours because exhaustion and nausea started coming for Shin-ae and they decided to leave.

“Of course. I’m always down to talk with you about things. Do you want to just talk in the car or did you have something else in mind?” Dieter asked timidly.

“Well,” Shin-ae started shyly, “my dad has to work another full night and won’t be home until 9 tomorrow. Did you maybe want to stay over at my place again?” Dieter instantly calmed at the request. He had expected this to be another disappointing conversation, but if it really was one of the many bad possibilities that he could think of, she wouldn't be inviting him to stay the night.

“Oh yeah, that sounds great. Do you mind if we stop at my place so I can grab some clothes?”

“Of course,” Shin-ae said and bit her lip. What she wanted to tell him was that he would not be needing those clothes because she wanted to partake in activities that didn’t require clothing tonight, but she decided it was probably best for him to have a change of clothes for tomorrow morning.

Dieter and Shin-ae got in the car and drove off towards Dieter’s house. Now that Soushi knew, it felt more real than before. Her bump had made it real, but now there were other people who knew other than her and Dieter, and for some reason that made it feel finalized. This was happening. She looked down and rested her hand on her bump. She wondered what it would look like next week or a month from now. She was going to keep getting bigger, which she had barely considered before. Shin-ae wasn’t the type of person to try and watch her figure and she didn’t care if she got fat, but having this bump was not just getting fat. There was a person growing in there and she was having a hard time coming to terms with that until today.

“So do you wanna talk now? We can still talk at your place, but if you want to start now we can?” Dieter asked gently, slightly nervous to find out what it was she wanted to talk about.

“Well there’s a few things we need to talk about,” Shin-ae started, “When are we going to tell our parents? Because I’m not going to be able to hide this for much longer,” she said pointing to her slightly swollen abdomen.

“I’m terrified to tell my family...they’re kind of old fashioned. And I’m _very_ scared of telling your father. He is going to kill me…”

“Yeah, I know. He’s going to be pissed. He freaked out when we went on our first date. When I told him you were just a friend he was all, ‘Oh thank god nothing happened.’ I guess this is what he feared would happen,” Shin-ae said, turning her head to look out the window.

“When would you like to tell our friends?” Dieter asked after a few moments of silence.

“Well, now that Soushi knows, we should be proactive before he spills. I kinda wanted to announce that we are official first, you know?”

“Official?”

“Yeah, like you being my boyfriend,” she looked over at him to see him blushing and trying not to smile.

“Does that mean we’re official, now?” He asked timidly, clearly scared of the answer but excited that this may finally be happening. Shin-ae kept looking at him, admiring his handsome features. She admired the way his eye’s picked up all sorts of colors when the light hit them. The way the world seemed to crumble around them when they made eye contact. The way everything made him blush and stammer. He was so good and so calm. He was exactly the kind of person that she could see herself with and she had rejected him for so long.

“Umm, yeah. If you’re okay with that?” There was a pause from him and Shin-ae almost thought he would reject her, but he finally spoke up.`

“I really wish we were not driving right now so I could kiss you,” He groaned. This was the happiest she had seen him in a long time, maybe ever.

  
  


\- - - - 

Dieter and Shin-ae arrived at her place and immediately started making out once they confirmed her dad wasn’t there. Dieter ran his large hands along her back and up her neck. He could not physically pull her any closer to his body. His aching cock thrust against her with only thin clothes in between them. She remembered the night of his birthday and how good he made her feel, and today him with his shirt off in the pool, and how he was always coming to her aid especially since they became intimate on his birthday. 

They entered her room and he took off the damp shirt he wore to the party. Shin-ae pushed him onto her bed and removed her shirt and bra as well, and then climbed over his long slender body. Her heat was positioned right over his member and the pressure was driving him mad. She hovered over him, panting and just watching as the tips of his ears reddened and his cheeks became hot. Then she dove in, devouring his mouth, kissing up and down his neck which was slightly scratchy with stubble. 

“Shin-ae, can we…” he trailed off, biting his lip while staring into eyes. Their pupils were filled with lust, and whatever he was feeling, she was feeling as well. She adjusted her hips in such a way that her sex dragged along his shaft and smiled wickedly down at him.  
  


“Can we, what?” She said deviously. He let out a long moan and started to lightly thrust his hips into her. He hit her right where she wanted which elicited a gasp from her.

“Two can play at this game, meine liebe.” Dieter set one hand just below her back and the other hand he slipped into her pants and underwear. He started rubbing circles on her already swollen nub and leaned forward to capture her nipple in his mouth. Shin-ae shuttered at the sensation. The skin on skin contact felt divine and was almost enough to make her cum just from feeling his warm skin rub against hers. It didn’t take long for her to lose herself in his touch and come unraveled.

Shin-ae liked this side of Dieter. It was so different from the side everyone else saw. Everyone else saw an innocent boy who was kind and polite and nervous, but she got to see this man in bed who took control and knew just how to make her senses explode. The fact that his outward appearance was so pure, was such a turn on when she considered his behavior in bed. Although she was spent, she didn’t want to stop exploring his body. She started to tug his pants off, which he enthusiastically assisted with and then removed her pants. She wanted to feel unhindered with him

“I want to try something,” she said seductively and started inching towards his lower half.

“Uhh,” he said nervously, “what did you want to try?” Shin-ae’s mouth was inches from his cock and he could feel her hot breath on it. She looked up at him and licked her lips.

“Shin-ae?” Dieter shakily started breathing harder. She started at the base, licking all the way up his shaft, swirling her tongue once she got to the tip.

“I don’t know if this is a good idea,” he said, not sounding confident and clearly not wanting her to stop. Shin-ae took him in her mouth and with the assistance of her hands, moved up and down. She tasted the precum that had seeped out which only encouraged her to keep going. Dieter had been uttering gibberish since she had fully taken him in her mouth, but suddenly became quiet and shot upwards, pushing her off. She looked slightly offended as she sat there, mouth still open, now looking at him for an answer. He covered his face with his hands and mumbled.

“I don’t want to cum in your mouth. I feel like that would be violating you.”

“Would you like to come somewhere else?”

“Yes, I don’t know how much longer I can last, though.” With Dieter’s erection still partially wet from her saliva and her own sex slick with her arousal, Shin-ae climbed up Dieter’s body and sat on him, allowing him to enter her at the same time. Dieter yelped something in German and looked up at her surprisingly. His eyes were hungry and he watched as she thrust on him, clearly not just doing this for him. Suddenly he gasped as he grabbed her hips and forced his way in and out of her quickly, filling her up with his climax. This sent Shin-ae into a blissful second orgasm before collapsing on top of him.

It didn’t take long for them to fall asleep after that and Shin-ae awoke not long after falling asleep to the sound of Dieter talking. Without opening her eyes, she listened to see what he was saying.

“And guess what, Lil’ Buddy? You’re going to have a sibling. Shin-ae and I are going to have a baby. When we get our own place you can live there with the three of us, how does that sound?” Shin-ae heard purring and a soft mewl in response to his question. It sounded like Lil’ Buddy liked this idea as much as he seemed to. Her heart filled with emotion listening to him talk about their soon to be family like this. He really did want this. Tears started to fill her eyes and her lip began to quiver. She didn’t want to cry, she didn’t fully know why she was even crying, but the raw emotion she felt was too much to hold back. She opened her eyes to see Dieter laying on his back with Lil’ Buddy perched on his chest with his paw tucked under him. Shin-ae sniffled which snatched his attention from Lil’ Buddy. He was instantly focused on her as he turned his body and threaded his hand over her waist and around her.

“Hey, what’s wrong? I thought you were asleep?” he asked, pulling her into a hug.

“I don’t know…”

“You don’t want to talk about it?” He asked.

“No, like I literally don’t know. I heard you talking about the baby and it just…” she hiccuped, trying not to start ugly crying, “I don’t know, it just made me happy to hear you say those things.” Dieter chuckled and kissed the top of her head a few times.

“Oh this is going to be fun,” he said with a smirk.

“What is?”

“Pregnancy.” She pulled back to glare at him. She couldn’t hold that glare for long, though, because he looked at her with such intense love. Suddenly a thought popped into her head and she looked at Lil’ Buddy.

“Wait, how did you get in here, anyway?” She asked.

“Oh he was scratching on the door, so I let him in.” Shin-ae looked at both of them with a puzzled expression. That didn’t make any sense. How did he get into the apartment in the first place? They didn’t let him in when they got here…

Shin-ae quickly got out of bed and threw on one of Dieter’s shirts and her spandex pants and walked out of her bedroom. She half expected to see her supposed sister in the living room or a different intruder since that’s what happened last time Lil’ Buddy unexpectedly got in the apartment. What she did not expect to see, or rather who was her father sitting on the couch looking up at her expectantly and furiously.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Hope you are enjoying it! Also, thanks for the Kudos!


	13. Chapter 13: Confession

“Papa! I thought you had an all-night shift?”

“Where is he?”

“Wh-where is who?”

“Your German friend, or should I call him your boyfriend now?” Shin-ae gulped and wondered how much he had heard. She was in deep shit, now.

“Dieter? Why would you think he’s here?

“Shin-ae, I could hear you two. Get him out here now. We need to talk.” Shit, this was bad. Shin-ae turned and entered her room to find Dieter was already dressed and sitting on her bed, wide-eyed and pale. Shin-ae grabbed his hand and pulled him up to his feet gently.

This would be the first time her father really met Dieter. Sure, after he got out of the hospital, Shin-ae would be around Dieter and her father, but Dieter and her father hadn’t interacted much outside of polite greetings. This was her dad’s real first impression and it was not going to be a good one.

Shin-ae’s father sat at the shorter end of the L-shaped couch and Shin-ae and Dieter sat at the end of the longer side, with Shin-ae in between the two men. They were silent for a long while until Sim Han finally grunted and started the conversation.

“Boy, you better have a really good reason for why you thought it was ok to come into my house,” Sim Han was seething at this point. He took a breath and continued, "and do what you did to my daughter. Care to explain yourself?” Shin-ae turned to see Dieter’s bright red face and terrified demeanor. Shin-ae grabbed his hand and turned back to her father.

“Papa, Dieter and I are an item now. We thought you were going to be at work all night and I wanted him to come over to discuss some things. We ended up getting carried away…”

“Yeah, well, what a nice conversation you two were having-”

“I’m so sorry sir!” Dieter finally chimed in with his head bowed, “I know this is extremely disrespectful. I should have never let myself get carried away. We did just come here to talk about something serious, “he then looked up at Sim Han and his lips started to quiver, “This was the first and will be the last time we disrespect your house rules.” Sim Han sighed and looked down at his hands for a few moments. When he looked back up he saw Shin-ae had started crying.

“Shin-ae, we talked about this. No boys until you are out of school. That wasn’t supposed to mean hours after you graduated. I had hoped you would at least get through college before this.” Dieter looked at Shin-ae as if he was trying to communicate with her telepathically. They were both on the same page, apparently.

“Well,” She started, “that _was_ my plan… I mean I figured maybe I would date during college but I wouldn’t be outwardly seeking it...but...umm,” her shaky voice trailed off and she looked away. She couldn’t possibly make eye contact with her father.

This was it. This was the moment her father would abandon her. She didn’t want to tell him yet. She had wanted to be able to spend more time with him before he would disown her. She didn’t know how to tell him, what to say, what to do. She started to softly sob and squeezed Dieter’s hand. Dieter was torn between comforting her and respecting her father’s wishes. He let his thumb graze over her tiny hands and he kissed the top of her head and whispered, “Do you want me to say it?” Shin-ae shook her head and looked up at Sim Han who now looked very worried.

“Papa, there’s something I need to tell you,” She shrunk into Dieter as much as possible. She didn’t know how she was going to get through this conversation. She didn’t know how to utter the phrase that needed to come out. She always had issues in the past with being honest with her father, even though he never gave her a reason to be.

“Shin-ae, if I had known it would be this upsetting to you to announce a relationship, I wouldn’t have pushed so hard for you not to be in one-”

“No, that’s not what I’m trying to say,” she gasped out. Sobs racked through her body and she shook violently, “I didn’t mean for this to happen. I made a mistake-”

“No,” Dieter cut her off, “I made the mistake. If you should be upset with anyone or blame this on anyone, it’s me.”

“You kids are worrying me. Just get it out,” Sim Han gently encouraged. Shin-ae’s body hiccuped a few times before she was finally able to get her breathing under control.

“Papa, I’m pregnant.” Sim Han looked over to Dieter like he was going to absolutely rock this boy’s world. What he saw when he looked over, though, was a scared boy who was desperately trying to comfort his partner, and suddenly the ghost of Sim Han’s past was in his head, replaying his own experiences with this same dilemma. He couldn’t be mad at his little girl for this, and he could hardly be mad at the stupid boy who did this to her because he could empathize with him.

“Ah shit,” he said dropping his head and pressing his palms against his eyes. Shin-ae started crying harder and Dieter finally couldn’t hold back. He wrapped his arms around her and started whispering in her ear. He rocked her while she cried as he kept glancing over to Sim Han, ready to protect himself and Shin-ae if her father were to lash out violently. He didn’t know the man well enough to predict his actions, but years of MMA taught him to always be prepared.

“Okay, so what’s your guys’ plan? Do you have one yet? I presume that’s what you were attempting to discuss tonight?”

“We have very little planned,” Dieter looked up and said calmly, “We both have jobs, I will be attending school at the university here, I will cover as much as I possibly can so that Shin-ae’s money can be used to pay for school. I have some ideas…”

“That’s a big promise to make for such an inexperienced person,” Sim Han grunted. He stood up and walked around the back of the couch and rubbed Shin-ae’s arm. Her skin was cold and clammy, clearly from the nerves of giving this announcement and the embarrassment of what transpired beforehand, “Hey, how about I make some hot cocoa, huh? Let’s talk about this together. You know you don’t have to hide anything from me?”

“Are you going to kick me out?” She said looking up at her father with piercing agony in her eyes. 

“What? Of course not. I would never do that to you, Shin-ae. Although the living situation is a topic we need to discuss soon, I would  _ never _ kick you out. You always have a home here.” Deep, relieved sobs emerged from Shin-ae. She was exhausted and would definitely need to get a decent night of sleep to be able to function. Sim Han kissed the top of her head and pointed to Dieter, “I know it’s summer and all, but do you want some hot cocoa?”

“Yes please,” Dieter said politely, more relaxed than before, but still wary of the situation. He was happy to see her father wasn’t lashing out and wondered what was keeping him so calm. A few minutes went by before Sim Han returned with three mugs and sat at the other end of the couch. A small smile crossed his face as he watched Dieter care for Shin-ae and calm her down enough to have this conversation. Clearly this kid was a good guy, he was just a stupid boy. And he was a prime subject for stupid decisions like the one he had made however long ago with his daughter.

“Okay, Shin-ae, first thing’s first, I know how scary this is...because I’ve been in your guys’ situation.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I'm probably the only one, but when I think of Sim Han's speech style I totally hear Harrison Ford as Han Solo in the newest trilogy. Like that gruffy man voice that is so done with everything.
> 
> Anyways, I wanted to say thank you for reading. I really do appreciate all of you. 
> 
> I've been feeling a little down the past couple days thinking about Dieter and Shin-ae. I'm over-analyzing their relationship and I'm starting to doubt that they'll be end game...which should be ok. Like it doesn't matter, it's just a story, but oh my gosh it makes me so sad and I don't know how to get over this feeling??? I've been spoiled with my last two ships sailing, and now that this one is somewhat unlikely to sail I'm f r e a k i n g o u t. Just for the record, I want Shin-ae and Dieter to be end game sooooooooo bad, in case that was not clear.
> 
> Also, I have heard that Quimchee sometimes reads fanfic, so Quim if you're reading, I miss you! I hope you are enjoying your break and relaxing. Also, it is an honor to have you read this fic if you are and I hope I am not disappointing you with my story or art or anything...And if you're not reading then everyone ignore this part of the comment haha.
> 
> Okay, anyway I'm waffling now. I'll see you guys on the next update.


	14. Chapter 14: Outburst

“Okay, Shin-ae, first thing’s first, I know how scary this is...because I’ve been in your situation.” Shin-ae looked at her father with surprise and he continued, “Your mother and I got pregnant with your sister at 17. We were still in high school and had another year to go, so I’m glad you two at least made it out of high school before this.”

“I knew you were young...I guess I just never did the math. That makes sense, though,” Shin-ae said.

“It’s going to be hard, you two. Like  _ really _ hard. Parenting is not easy. Are you really sure you want to go through with this?”

“Yes,” Dieter said firmly, “unless Shin-ae changes her mind, I want this more than anything and I will do everything I can to keep Shin-ae comfortable and safe.” Dieter and Shin-ae both blushed and Sim Han smirked. Sim Han didn’t remember being as confident as this kid, but he remembered that desire to protect his family. He admired the guy, but it still made him sick that this was happening to  _ his _ daughter.

Sim Han shared stories and information with Shin-ae and Dieter for another hour before Shin-ae fell asleep on Dieter’s shoulder. Dieter knew she had been tired before this whole ordeal; this surely didn’t help. And she only had tomorrow to rest up before starting full time at the Hirahara office. Sim Han sighed and looked at Dieter with a serious face.

“Okay, listen kid. You’re having a baby with my daughter, so I need you to take care of her. If she gets sick, you need to be right there to hold her hair back. If she’s hungry, you get her whatever she’s craving. I am going to allow you to sleep in bed with her tonight, but for the love of all that’s good in the world,  _ please _ do not do anything more than sleep...fully clothed! The things I heard earlier scarred me. I don’t want to hear that again.” Dieter blushed furiously and nodded. He didn’t have to be told twice. He lifted Shin-ae gently off the couch and started towards the bedroom.

\- - - -

The week for Shin-ae was tiring in more ways than one. Kousuke had become more aggressive in his looming over Shin-ae while she worked. On top of that, the work pants that Shin-ae bought a few months ago no longer fit her. Most of her work clothes no longer fit her, for that matter. She had two shirts and a skirt and that was about it. She would need to go shopping soon for some new clothes. Her heels also didn’t always fit due to her feet swelling, which of course Kousuke took notice to.

“You know, those pumps I picked out are much more business appropriate. Flats don’t always go well with a skirt.” Kousuke said while looking down at her with his arms crossed.

“How in the world do you even know this stuff?”

“I pay attention to fashion,” he snapped. Shin-ae knew soon she would need to tell him, but that required her to tell her friends first. If Kousuke knew before Yeong-Gi he would certainly tell him before she was able to.

“Well working full time in those heels has made my feet swell and they didn’t fit this morning,” she said trying to keep calm. Kousuke paused and looked at her. His eyes drifted down her body and lingered for just an extra second at her midsection.

“That generally happens when someone gains weight. You have been looking fuller lately. We have a company dietitian that you are always welcome to consult with. I highly recommend his services,” Kousuke said casually and turned away from her as if he didn’t even realize that was something you shouldn’t say to someone. That did it for Shin-ae and her temper got the better of her. Without thinking twice she lashed out at him.

“I’m not fat! I’m pregnant!” Kousuke whipped around and Shin-ae’s face paled. “Oh shit,” was all she could mutter. Kousuke looked angry and glared at her abdomen. His features twisted into a deep frown and his eyes saddened. 

“What?” He snapped. Shin-ae crossed her arms and looked away. 

“Yeah, and I haven’t told Yeong-Gi yet, so please don’t say anything to anyone.”

“It’s his?” Kousuke asked, eyes bulging.

“What? Oh, no no no no. Sorry, no that’s not what I meant. I just meant he’s my friend and I wanted to tell him myself so he would hear it from me and not someone else.” Kousuke dropped his head and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“It’s Yeong-Gi’s friend’s isn’t it? The German boy.”

“Not that that’s any of your business,” Shin-ae stated calmly, “But yes, Dieter is the father.” The two were silent for a moment before Kousuke finally looked up at her.

“You are dismissed for the rest of the day, miss Yoo. Thank you.”

“What? Why? I can still work!” Shin-ae said frantically.

“That’s alright, you’ve done enough for me today. Take the rest of the day off. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Shin-ae slowly turned to exit. She really shouldn’t have told him, especially before signing another contract for employment. Now her well paying, full-time job was not guaranteed. Just before grabbing the handle to the door, Kousuke called out to her.

“And miss Yoo?” She stopped and turned to him, “I won’t say anything to Yeong-Gi.”

“Thank you…” Shin-ae said with a faint smile and walked out of the door. She walked down the hall and turned a corner, only to see Mr. Hirahara and Yeong-Gi talking. Yeong-Gi saw her and waved to her.

“Hey Shin-ae! Where are you going?” She reached the two men and stopped.

“Kousuke sent me home for the day.”

“Why would he do that?” Mr. Hirahara asked, seeming genuinely curious.

“She’s been feeling a little...under the weather lately,” Yeong-Gi said cautiously, “Why don’t I drive you home?”

“That’s ok. I was going to run some errands and grab some food anyways so you really don’t have to do that.”

“Okay, well at least let me walk you out,” Yeong-Gi said turning to his father, “I’m going to head out for lunch. I’ll discuss this with you tonight.” Rand nodded and Yeong-Gi led them to the elevator. When in the elevator he turned to her looking genuinely concerned. 

“Did Kousuke find out?” He asked seriously. Shin-ae looked up at him confused.

“Find out what?” She asked starting to feel nervous.

“That you’re pregnant?” Shin-ae’s heart dropped and she sat there gaping at Yeong-Gi.

“How? How did you-”

“Why don’t we go grab lunch. I’ll tell you when we get out of here so no one else has to hear.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the short chapter tonight. Tomorrow's will be longer. Yesterday I got kinda stuck on where to take the story, but after writing a chapter today I think I know which direction I want to go. See you tomorrow :D


	15. Chapter 15: Announcement

Shin-ae and Yeong-Gi sat in a booth at the same burger place they had been to with Kousuke all those months ago. Shin-ea thought back to that time fondly. It was a time when things weren’t as complicated yet. Little did she know back then that her life was about to start spirling.

“Okay, so what the fuck, dude? How did you know about this? Did Soushi tell you?”

“Soushi knows? You told him before me? Wow so hurtful,” He teased and Shin-ae snorted.

“No. Soushi was the last person I wanted to tell. Well, other than my father. He walked in on Dieter comforting me and saying this was normal in pregnancy. And then he freaked.”

“Yeah sounds like Soushi. I’m surprised Dieter said something within earshot of others. That doesn’t sound like him.”

“It was after I had puked at the party. We were inside and he had come in and we didn’t hear him,” Shin-ae said rolling her eyes and then taking a huge bite out of her burger, “Mmmfkay, sho how dif you findf out?”

“You’re lucky I speak fluent mouthful because that was not a coherent sentence,” he said with his charming smile, “Well for one, I don’t know if you’ve noticed this, but you have a baby bump.” Shin-ae looked down at her stomach, shocked.

“Dieter said it wasn’t noticeable! What the eff?”

“Well to most people it wouldn’t be. But I’ve also been here for the multiple times you’ve thrown up, I caught you when you fainted, and smells have been bothering you. I had my suspicions, but then when I helped you up from the pool the other day I noticed the bump. I second-guessed it up until today when you confirmed it.” 

“Wait you second-guessed it until today? You mean if I wasn’t pregnant, you would have still asked me if I was? You know that’s really rude to girls?”

“Well, my suspicions came from you getting sick and showing symptoms. The bump was really what made me like 80% sure and then the elevator trip out made me 100%.” Shin-ae looked down feeling defeated.

“Great, so now my bump is starting to be noticeable. I really wanted to be able to tell you guys without people guessing or finding out.”

“Well, you can still tell us. I’ll act surprised. I think I’m just more perceptive than others.” Shin-ae paused and thought about it and she wondered if she should just tell her friends today. Now that her father knew, it felt like a cake-walk telling everyone else, even Kousuke. Telling her friends was definitely not as scary as telling her dad.

“Actually, now that I think about it, I think I should just tell the rest of the group today. Maybe I’ll invite Rika and Maya out to go shopping and tell them. I need clothes that will fit me.”

“Hey, that’s a great idea,” Yeong-Gi exclaimed. Tonight we could go out and celebrate!” Shin-ae laughed at the absurdity of this. She didn’t feel like this was something to celebrate.

“Eh,” she said uneasily, “I don’t know. I don’t think I want to go out tonight. I’m going to be so tired when I am done shopping.”

“Okay, well we do need to celebrate soon. I’ll send out a group text tonight after you’ve told everyone and see what day works best for everyone.”

“Oh, I should probably tell Dieter that I’m going to tell Rika and Maya. Just in case he has a problem with it.”

\- - - - -

“So what was the big news you had to share with us?” Maya asked excitedly, turning around to face Rika and Shin-ae from the front passenger seat. Shin-ae checked with Dieter to make sure it was okay to tell the girls and he was of course fine with it. She told him about her crazy morning and how Yeong-Gi already knew and she needed to just get this out in the open at this point. He agreed and so here Shin-ae was, in the car with Rika, Maya, and Min-Hyuk who decided to tag along. 

“Okay, so um, Dieter and I,” Shin-ae started. All eyes were on her, “are official now-” the girls interrupted her and started squealing. Oh god, this was going to be an obnoxious car ride. Then she got a little nervous. What if she had to let them down by telling them she was pregnant? No, she can’t keep hiding this. She needs their help picking out clothes!

“OMG how long has this been going on?” Rika asked.

“Well, we became official last weekend. After your party, actually. But we’ve been kind of seeing each other since his birthday. I mean, not really, but-” more squealing erupted and Min-Hyuk flinched at the sounds.

“So when should we be expecting dem German babies?” Maya swooned. Shin-ae gulped. Well, that was an easy segway. Here it goes.

“Um, so about that,” Shin-ae started nervously. She was looking down. She couldn’t meet their eyes,” That’s what I wanted to tell you guys. Um, I need your guys’ help picking out some new work clothes because mine won’t be fitting me for much longer,” she looked up to gauge their reactions. The girls looked like hounds waiting patiently to be told they could eat the treat balancing on their noses. Min-Hyuk looked somewhat confused, somewhat concerned, and very curious. “Because I’m pregnant.”

The banshees scream was supersonic this time around, causing Min-Hyuk and Shin-ae to grip their ears. Min-Hyuk looked anxiously at Shin-ae through the rear-view mirror from the driver’s seat. He was certainly taking this differently than the girls, but Shin-ae expected that. With him being a guy and him being the overly concerned friend he was, she expected a lecture from him once the girls stopped screaming.

“Guys! Stop already, enough!” He called out, finally quieting them.

“When. Did. This. Happen?” Maya screeched

“Dieter’s birthday,” Shin-ae said just barely above a whisper. She had expected the girls to take the news better than the guys, but she didn’t expect them to react positively to this.

“Oh my god! That’s why you got sick at the party! I can’t wait to tell Soushi!” Rika exclaimed.

“Soushi already knows,” Shin-ae said, biting her lip, “he walked in on Dieter and I talking about it at the party. We didn’t hear him come in…”

“And he didn’t tell me? The audacity?”

“Don’t get mad at him. I begged him not to say anything. I wanted to be able to tell you guys and not have you hear it from other people,” She glanced around at them before returning her focus to the ground, “And I don’t know why you guys are so excited about this. It’s not something to be proud of. It’s also miserable and I would not recommend it.”

“No Shin-ae,” Maya started, “You and I may have gotten off to a rocky start, but I care about you. I have always cared about your happiness. You deserve to be  _ happy _ about this. Sure it’s hard, but if you think for one second that all of us won’t be here for you, you’re wrong. Once Min-Hyuk and Yeong-Gi leave for school, Soushi, Rika, and I will be here to help you out.” Shin-ae started to tear up. She knew this would be easier than telling her dad, but she did not expect this to go  _ this _ well.

“Awwww your pregnancy hormones!” Rika said, then leaned forward to try and get Shin-ae’s attention, “Hey, Shin-ae, you’ve had a hard life. You deserve for this to be a happy event, not a sad one. Cheer up.” Shin-ae looked up and smiled at her friends and nodded. She couldn’t find the words to thank them, but she hoped they understood how thankful she was for that. That was exactly what she needed to hear.

“I wish you had told us sooner,” Maya said turning to face the front again, “you were dealing with this all alone and you didn’t reach out?”

“Well I wasn’t alone. Dieter was helping me. We literally just found out about it and I actually wanted to wait even longer to tell you guys...but then I started showing and we had to tell my dad and then my boss found out-”

“Kousuke knows?” Rika exclaimed, “How did he find out.”

“He said I looked fat and I got mad and blurted it out without thinking first,” Shin-ae said, sounding a bit more agitated than moments ago.

“So…”Min-Hyuk chimed in, “How’s Dieter taking this?” Shin-ae chuckled and wiped the tears away from her face.

“He’s really excited,” she sniffled.

“Seriously?” Rika asked

“Yeah, he was super supportive in my decision in the beginning. When I was on the fence about what to do he told me he really wanted us to keep the baby. And that was such a relief to hear because I realized the only reason why I even considered terminating was that I didn’t want to ruin his life with this.”

“Ruin his life? Oh my god, this must be like a dream come true for him,” Rika laughed. Min-Hyuk huffed and kept his eyes glued to the road.

“I’m still gonna kick his ass,” He muttered.

“What? Why?” Shin-ae asked. She honestly didn’t know why Min-Hyuk would be mad at Dieter. He had been trying to set them up for a long time, now.

“Because he was reckless. He knew better. How did he let this happen?”

“Min-Hyuk, it was just as much my fault as it was his…”

“Still gonna kick his ass…” he muttered even quieter and Shin-ae rolled her eyes. The girls continued their cheerful mood, explaining they would buy all of the cute baby things and they would help her pick out names and mentioned many other things Shin-ae hadn’t really thought about. Oh, and that they would of course help pick out all of her new work clothes.


	16. Chapter 16: Nugget

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey peeps! So I have decided to start updating in the evening instead of the early mornings PT. That's why there were technically two updates yesterday, but you can start expecting chapters posted in the evenings before midnight. Just wanted to give you all a heads up on that :)

Shopping with the girls was much better than shopping with Kousuke. The girls knew what styles would look good on Shin-ae and would feel comfortable. They picked out lots of stretchy and loose-fitting clothes that would surely fit her throughout the rest of this pregnancy, including some slacks that were made out of spandex. They felt just like leggings or yoga pants but looked like work pants. They were perfect. Shin-ae thought they would get kicked out when Rika and Maya started squealing again when they saw her tiny bump. They talked about how cute she was going to be later in her pregnancy, which only freaked Shin-ae out more.

Outside of the department store they had just spent the last hour in, they met up with Min-Hyuk who had gone shopping at different stores than they had. Rika and Maya decided to continue shopping and Shin-ae and Min-Hyuk decided to get smoothies and sit down for a while.

“Okay, Shin-ae, be real with me,” he said not meeting her eyes, “are you really okay with all of this going on?” Shin-ae sat there considering his question. Was she? Was she handling this properly? Did she do the right thing?

“I think I’m as okay as I could be in this situation. I never wanted kids, so this wasn’t a situation I thought I would be in.”

“Are you scared?”

“Terrified…”

“And Dieter is really handling this okay? You guys went from hand holding to having sex really quickly,” he stopped as if realizing something, “Wait! How the hell was he able to do anything when he faints from you touching him?”

“Umm,” Shin-ae gave a flustered chuckle and turned away, embarrassment crawling its way up her face, “we both just got caught up in the moment. I’m sure the adrenaline kicked in when he realized I was kissing him-”

“You kissed him?”

“Yeah…I made the first move,” she said in a shaky, high-pitched voice.

“Wow,” he said, mulling this information over, “I didn’t know you liked him enough to kiss him, let alone go that far.”

“In my defense, I didn’t realize it either until that night.”

“So what’s your plan? How are you guys going to do this?” Min-Hyuk asked. She could tell he was agitated, but he was trying to stay calm for her.

“We’ve talked a little. He says he wants to cover living expenses so that I can save money for school. I don’t know how he’s going to do that, though. I can’t imagine he makes much money from streaming.”

“He’s got a pretty good following. I wouldn’t be too surprised if he’s making quite a bit of money from it now. I still don’t think it would be enough to pay for a baby…” Min-Hyuk was getting more agitated, “I can’t believe I trusted him. I trusted him to take care of you, and he just did the most reckless and stupid thing a guy can do.” Shin-ae was hurt hearing this from Min-Hyuk. Dieter was not only a good person in general, but he was extremely good to her.

“Hey,” she said gently, not wanting to aggravate him more, “Dieter isn’t the only one at fault here, but for all intents and purposes, let’s say he was. What if you were in this situation?”

“I wouldn’t be because I use condoms.”

“Okay, but what if the condom broke? What if something happened that's outside of your control?” Min-Hyuk paused and Shin-ae looked up at him, “He’s been really good to me during this whole ordeal. He was good to me before, but he’s  _ really _ supportive of my decisions, despite what he wants.” She looked down at her abdomen and rested her hand on top, “Despite not wanting kids, I can’t give up my own kid. I didn’t want to terminate and I certainly don’t want to adopt out. I’m very lucky that Dieter wants to raise it with me.” Min-Hyuk looked down at her blankly.

“I’m sad that I won’t get to hang out with you anymore.”

“Why wouldn’t we hang out anymore?”

“You’re going to have a kid...you won’t have time for us.” Shin-ae looked up at him confused and hurt.

“I would never stop hanging out with you. Nugget here will just have to join us when we go out for food or you guys can come over to wherever Dieter and I are.”

“Nugget?” Min-Hyuk asked with a sideways smile. Shin-ae flushed slightly.

“That’s what I’ve started calling it. Because they’re like a little chicken nugget.” That made Min-Hyuk laugh out loud and Shin-ae giggled. It felt good to have some time alone with Min-Hyuk again. She missed him when he was gone. She missed these deep conversations and laughter they shared. Maybe him moving to America was preparing her for this situation.

\- - - - 

The next day at work was much more comfortable than the last four had been. Shin-ae wore her new stretchy slacks and a high-neck, stretchy tank top with a light blazer jacket. Now that everyone knew, or at least everyone that mattered, she didn’t feel the need to hide her bump, which was fairly prominent in this outfit. Kousuke had hardly said anything to her all day and gave her several lengthy data-entry assignments. Shin-ae was, of course, desperate to keep this job, at least for now until Dieter and she were well off with nugget. Assignments like these, though, reminded her that this is definitely not what she wanted to do in the long run. Her mind drifted to a future where she was caring for people as her father does. Dieter was going into a computer engineering program for college, so he’d probably be working with coding or whatever the heck computer people do. 

“Miss Yoo, there is something I would like to discuss with you.” Kousuke walked up to her desk and adjusted his tie, “You told me a while ago that you didn’t plan on working here after your contract was up. Is that still the case?”

“Uhm, well,” Shin-ae stammered, “given my current condition, I would really appreciate being able to stay here for the foreseeable future. I’m not quite sure what I want to go to school for, but this is a very well paying job and I desperately need the health insurance…”

“Alright, I have a contract for you to sign if you’d still like to work here.” He handed the document over to her and with a relieved sigh, she took it and signed it, barely even reading it. She knew it was a one year contract, which would last after her maternity leave, so she was happy to take it. Kousuke took the document back, slightly surprised that she didn’t even give it a second glance.

“Hey, Kousuke?” Shin-ae asked timidly, “I have my first prenatal appointment next week. Is it alright if I take a half-day on Tuesday?”

“Well according to the contract you _just_ signed, you are required to give a two-week notice for any time off,” Kousuke said sounding slightly annoyed, “It would be beneficial for you to _read_ documents before signing. I will let it slide this time, though. In the future, please be more proactive with your planning.” He turned and walked back to his desk.

“Yes sir,” Shin-ae said feeling embarrassed at her mishap. 

“How are you feeling, Miss Yoo?” Kousuke asked awkwardly. 

“Umm, I’m actually feeling better. I haven’t gotten sick in a couple of days which is the first time in about a month.”

“Have you had any fainting spells since the last one?” 

_ Why is he asking me these questions? Is he actually concerned? _

“Luckily not, but I did get light headed the other day. As long as I’m snacking every hour or two, I seem to be fine,” She said, popping an almond into her mouth.

“And how is the father doing?”

“He,” she started, but tumbled over her words slightly when she realized she didn’t know how he was doing, “he’s doing...well actually, I don’t know how he’s doing right at this moment. I’ve hardly talked to him since last weekend…”

“Tch,” Kousuke looked down at his desk, eyebrows knitted together, “He’s not having second thoughts about this is he?” Shin-ae inhaled shakily, eyes prickling at the thought that he could be pulling away and getting ready to run. She looked at Kousuke for a few moments before answering.

“N-no he-he’s excited about this,” Shin-ae tried to sound confident but failed miserably.

“Hmm, that’s an odd way of showing excitement,” Kousuke stated slowly. This struck fear into Shin-ae. What if he _was_ second-guessing? He’d been so excited at first, right? He told her he wanted this, but what if he’d decided that wasn’t the case anymore? The next time she was supposed to see him was Tuesday, but she didn’t think she could wait that long. She wanted to see him tonight.

“I’m going to step out and grab something from the snack machine. Did you want anything?” Shin-ae said shooting up from her desk which caused Kousuke to startle and look up at her with a concerned expression.

“No thank you,” He said and looked back down after his eyes skimmed over her bump, “You know I don’t eat that processed junk.”

“Just thought I’d ask, boss.” When Shin-ae made it to the elevator she pulled out her phone. She was about to text Dieter when she decided to call him. She wanted to hear his voice.

_ “Hallo Liebling,” _ Shin-ae calmed at his voice. There were certain phrases that Dieter said to her that she could recognize now; all terms of endearment. 

“Hey, can I see you tonight?”

_ “Y-yes of course! Are you okay?” _

“Nugget and I are fine. I’m just having a weird day and I wanted to see you,” Shin-ae blushed and was thankful he couldn’t see her through the phone.

_ “Yeah, actually I wanted to talk to you about something, so tonight’s as good as any night.” _

“Talk to me about something? About what?” The color started to drain from Shin-ae’s face. She was scared to hear the next words come out of his mouth. He was silent for a moment longer than she would have preferred before speaking up.

_ “It’s complicated over the phone. We’ll talk about it tonight, though. I’ll pick you up from work, okay?” _

“Okay…”Shin-ae said so quietly she wasn’t sure he heard it until he said his goodbye and they hung up. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading. I love you all and appreciate all the kind words and kudos and whatnot. I had another dream last night that Quimchee posted another chapter. I don't remember much about it but I remember that it had nothing to do with Shin-ae or Dieter but I was sobbing happy tears because I was just so relieved that it was back.
> 
> So yeah as you can see life is going great right now haha. I start fall term on Sept 29th I believe and my goal is to finish this fic before my term starts. Hopefully, that will happen because I doubt I'll have time for fics while taking 16 credits and working 40 hrs, but we'll see. I'm still very dedicated to this fic and I will finish no matter what. We have sooooo many more chapters to go, so I hope you all like long fics XD
> 
> Also, Quim if you're reading this, we miss you and can't wait for you to come back. We hope you are having a good time on hiatus right now <3


	17. Chapter 17: New Place

Shin-ae spent the rest of the day internally panicking. She didn’t know what Dieter wanted to talk to her about, but she couldn’t imagine it would be good if he couldn’t even discuss it over the phone.  _ This _ is why she didn’t do relationships. All good things come to an end, right? This was just going to end in misery, except she’d be left with a piece of him forever. She felt sick and she watched the clock diligently until her shift was over. 

When the elevator finally reached the bottom floor she saw him just as he was entering the building. Their eyes met and stopped their feet in their tracks. They just stared at each other, Shin-ae looking terrified and hesitant, and Dieter looking...Flustered? Well, of course, Dieter was flustered. That was just Dieter’s natural state around Shin-ae. The tips of his ears darkened with pink and so did his cheekbones. Shin-ae wondered if this news was actually bad, given his reaction to seeing her. She started walking towards him and he met her at her side.

“Wow, you look really pretty today,” he said, still flushed. This caused Shin-ae to blush as well. They walked together out to his sister's car and got in. Dieter was still blushing as they left and Shin-ae took note of this.

“What’s wrong?” She asked

“Oh uhh,” he rubbed the back of his neck, “You look really pretty and you’re showing more than the last time I saw you, and that just really...does something to me.” Shin-ae felt her heart flutter and blood start to pull in between her legs. 

“It does something to you? Like what?” Dieter glanced over nervously.

“Well, uh seeing you like that and knowing that you look like that because of me is...weirdly arousing. I don’t know how to explain it.” She blushed and looked down at her bump. She didn’t quite need him to explain. She sort of just knew what he meant. When she looked at her bump she was reminded of him and the night they shared together. Shin-ae tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and tried to focus.

“Thank you. Um, what did you want to talk about?”

“It’s a surprise,” Dieter smiled.

“No, tell me now. I don’t like surprises,” Shin-ae started looking at him expectantly. He nodded and glanced over at her, his blue eyes practically piercing her soul.

“Fair enough- Oh! I almost forgot,” He pointed to the back seat, “There’s chicken back there for you.” Shin-ae looked back to see a box of fried chicken sitting on the seat. She snatched it and ate it furiously, realizing then that she was very hungry and it had been at least 4 hours since her last snack. 

“So I had lunch with your dad yesterday,” Shin-ae started coughing and he looked over at her concerned. 

“Why? *cough* What for?”

“He wanted to get to know me better. I gave him my phone number when I stayed over the other night and let him know he could contact me about anything he needed.” Shin-ae continued munching on her food and smiled slightly at the thought of Dieter having lunch with her dad. She imagined her dad scowling at Dieter and him being his nervous self. Okay, surely what he wanted to talk about couldn't be bad if he had started meeting with her dad and getting to know him better...right?

“So what did you guys talk about?”

“Well,” Dieter started, “He asked me about financials and what I was doing to make money. I told him about my streams and he wasn’t very happy with it until I showed him how much I made from it and then he was a little more accepting. He asked me what I was going to school for. Somehow, we got on the topic of martial arts and I told him about Judo…”

“Oh yeah, my dad loves MMA.”

“Yeah he got really excited when I started talking about it,” Dieter blushed and glanced in the opposite direction from Shin-ae, “He wants to come to a match sometime. I told him he didn’t need to, but he was really insistent that I tell him when my next one was.” Shin-ae never thought she would even have a boyfriend, so she had also never even considered her father to be interested in getting to know them. She smiled at the idea of him and Dieter being comfortable around each other and being friendly.

“That’s great Dieter,” She said kindly, “I’m really scared to meet your family.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know,” she said looking down at the small bump again, “I don’t think they’ll be very happy to find out what we did.” Dieter shrugged.

“My sister will probably give me the most shit for it, but she’ll be the most excited. She loves babies. My parents and grandmother...they may be upset at first, but I think they’ll be excited for us. If anything they would get mad at me and not you. They will love you,” He smiled down at her, and her heart filled with adoration. The looks he gave her made her pulse race. She felt like she would never quite get used to it.

As she continued to eat, she looked at the box. It was from somewhere she had never been.

“I’ve never been to this place before? How did you hear about it?” She looked out the window and saw a large building with shops lining the bottom, one of which was the chicken restaurant in question. She turned back to Dieter confused, “Are you taking me to get more chicken?” They weren’t even 10 minutes away from her work. He didn’t need to drive them here, they could’ve just walked.

“No, but I can get you more if you’re still hungry,” Dieter said and pulled into a parking garage and parked.

“No, I don’t want more I just want you to tell me where the hell we are or where we’re going?” Dieter got out of the car and came over to Shin-ae’s side.

“We’re here. Come with me,” He said after opening her door for her and taking her hand. 

“Where is  _ here _ , Dieter. What is this place?” Shin-ae was getting more agitated. Suddenly Dieter turned to her and put both hands on her shoulders and looked her directly in the eyes.

“You told me a while ago that you trusted me. Is that still true?” He asked calmly.

“Yes, I still trust you…”

“Okay, then I need you to just follow me. I promise you are safe. Nothing is wrong, but I need to show you something.” She looked at him quizzically and hesitantly, then finally nodded and he led her to an elevator. He grabbed her hand and pressed the button that said 7 and they waited for the elevator to reach the floor.

The elevator doors opened to reveal a huge window in a hallway with many doors spanning both directions. He led her down, stopped at one on the corner of the building, and handed her a key.

“Do you still trust me?” he asked.

“Yes, wher-”

“Open the door,” Dieter interrupted before she could ask, yet again, where they were. Shin-ae stuck the keys in and pushed the door open to reveal a small halfway that led to a kitchen. She turned and looked at him expectantly and he nodded and nudged her through the doorway.

The hallway opened up to a small kitchen and living room set up with a huge window overlooking the city and tiny patio. To the left of the kitchen were two rooms and to the right was a walkway into a short hallway with a bathroom and a third bedroom. The walls in the kitchen were bright white marble, but the living room had two accent walls made of a light grey stone slate and wood paneling. The floors were a light maple hardwood and the cabinets were glossy and white. This was the nicest apartment Shin-ae had ever been in, aside from Kousuke’s.

“Okay,” Shin-ae said, glancing around the apartment. There were only a few pieces of furniture and several boxes, “Can I ask where we are now?”

“This is our apartment, well hopefully as long as you agree to move in with me. Otherwise, I’m going to have this huge apartment for myself.” Shin-ae turned and looked at him, jaw going slack.

“Dieter, I can’t possibly afford this apartment.”

“Well, I  _ can, _ ” Dieter said resting his hand on the small of her back, “I want this to be our home.”

“But how can you afford this place? It must cost an astronomical amount of money.”

“I promise you I can afford it. It’s less expensive than it looks.” Shin-ae started to tear up and raised her hand to her mouth and Dieter looked down at her.

"And there's a chicken place on the bottom floor?" She asked lip quivering. Dieter laughed softly.

“I thought you would like it…”

“I do like it. I love it,” Shin-ae hiccuped, “I just...I spent all day since our phone call thinking that you were going to break up and decided you didn’t want nugget and wanted to back out, but this is the opposite of that,” Dieter pulled her in for a hug and kissed the top of her head.

“Why in the world would I want to back out? What gave you that impression?”

“Kousuke had asked about you and I said I hadn’t talked to you very much this week and then he insinuated that you weren’t excited about this and-”

“So _Kousuke_ made you think I was pulling away?” Dieter asked harshly and she looked up at him and nodded. He wiped the tears off her cheek and continued, “Oh, Shin-ae I didn’t mean to scare you! I just wanted to surprise you with this. I had been signing paperwork and getting inspectors in this week and moving furniture over. I just wanted to get it set up before showing you. I’m sorry I was absent. I promise it had nothing to do with you and...” he paused and thought about what she had just said. Shin-ae buried her face into his chest and let out a few sobs before she finally calmed down. After a few minutes, he asked, “...did you nick-name our child nugget? Like, _chicken_ nugget?”

“Yemph,” Shin-ae said, or at least that’s what Dieter heard with her face buried in his shirt. He let out a soft laugh and held her tighter against him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you guys are wondering what the inspiration was for their apartment, it's this airbnb:
> 
> https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/40655307?adults=1&children=0&source_impression_id=p3_1598728469_%2B5rUeRQuE9F5Ds7c&translate_ugc=true
> 
> So today my payment came out for Patreon and I'm very excited. Does this mean I Love Yoo is returning soon? Maybe. Either way, please take my money, Quimchee.
> 
> See you for tomorrow's update!


	18. Chapter 18: First Appointment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof this is a long chapter haha. But it was fun to write.

Shin-ae stayed with Dieter for most of the weekend until Sunday evening. Although the place wasn’t unpacked all the way and there were very few pieces of furniture, he had the basics. He had a couch, a tv, his desk and computer setup, a bed, and clothes that Shin-ae could wear. He couldn’t keep his hands off of her when she wore his clothes. Before he saw her yesterday, her bump wasn’t very noticeable. The only time he had actually really noticed it was when his hand would skim across it while he held her. But on Friday he saw just how noticeable it was. It was prominent enough, now, that even when she wore one of his shirts, which was huge on her, he could just barely make out her rounded midsection. 

Seeing her wear  _ his _ clothes while pregnant with  _ his _ baby made him lose control around her and as a result, they had pretty much christened the entire apartment. The countertops, the couch, the bedrooms, and the shower were all places he showed his devotion to her. His favorite was the couch because she had been on top that time and he was mesmerized seeing her bounce her way to climax and he could watch her new breasts that pregnancy brought her. Her hips had also widened, just slightly and he couldn’t keep his hands off of them, either. 

So, to say the least, he was sad to see her return to her father’s place Sunday night to prepare for her next workday. And although she knew she had to, she was also sad that she had to leave. She slept with the giant teddy bear he won her at the amusement park, to make up for the empty space next to her.

When Tuesday came along, Shin-ae decided that although she hated wearing dresses and skirts, she felt like a dress was the easiest to take on and off for her appointment. She only had one maternity dress, which was a black bodycon that hugged her curves but wasn’t too tight over her belly and gave it room to expand. Dieter was always flustered over her presence, but lately, he had been especially, and she hoped this dress would elicit the same reaction. She was becoming less nauseous every day that passed and that allowed...other activities to take place…

Dieter arrived at the Hirrahara office to pick Shin-ae up right on time. Shin-ae exited the building to find him standing outside of a car she had never seen before. She gave him a puzzled look and he chuckled and greeted her with a hug.

“Who’s car is this?”

“It’s mine,” he smiled, “Er, ours. My mom is getting a new car and she gave this one to me rather than trading hers in.” Shin-ae looked at him with a shocked expression. 

“Wow...that was nice of her…” she wasn’t sure how to feel about this handout. His family gave it to him, not knowing about their situation. Would they want to take it back as punishment when they found out about the baby coming? Were they like that? She thought about this on the way to their appointment until Dieter interrupted her train of thought.

“How was Kousuke today?”

“Umm,” she floundered, completely caught off guard by the question, “Fine I guess? He acted pretty normal today. Why do you ask?”

“I saw him glaring at me through his window. I figured maybe he had a bad day?” 

“Ignore him,” Shin-ae said, rolling her eyes, “he’s always grumpy and scowling. He probably wasn’t even looking at you. He was probably just spacing out and looking out the window.”

“Maybe,” Dieter shrugged and changed the subject, “Do you want me in the room during your appointment?” Shin-ae looked over at him to see a slight blush along his cheeks.

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”

“I just felt it might be too personal,” he stammered, “I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable.” Shin-ae looked ahead and smiled to herself.

“No, I definitely want you there. I’m too nervous to go in alone.” As she said that she felt his hands engulf her and his fingers thread through hers. Now it was her turn to blush, and she looked away. Feeling his hands brought memories back of that weekend. His hands had been all over her and doing all sorts of things for her. They could be gently massaging her shoulders or they could be wrapping around her waist and pulling her into his warm embrace. 

They arrived at their appointment and were now waiting in the room with the nurse. The waiting room had been way more awkward than they anticipated, mostly due to the fact that they looked like they were the youngest couple in the room and everyone else waiting seemed to notice as well. Both Shin-ae and Dieter hated the extra attention, but Dieter handled it well. He held her hand and brushed his thumb across it to try and soothe her anxiety.

“Okay Shin-ae,” the nurse said looking at her clipboard,” I just need to ask you a few questions. First things first, what was the date of your last period?”

“Well, my last period took place a couple of months before we had s-sex and I don’t quite remember the date.” The nurse scribbled something on her paper.

“Okay, we’ll confirm the date when we do an ultrasound today, but to get a rough estimate, what was the date of conception?”

“May 6th,” she paused, “Actually probably more like May 7th. It was late into the night,” Shin-ae said quietly. The nurse nodded and wrote some more.

“Okay so you’re around 11 weeks, give or take. What symptoms have you experienced? Anything out of the ordinary?”

“Well, I’ve been nauseous for the past two months. I’ve been super sensitive to smells. I cry at everything now…” she looked over at Dieter, “What else Dieter?” He blushed and rubbed the back of his neck.

“She fainted a few weeks ago and she’s been very tired. She has started getting her appetite back…” The nurse continued scribbling and looked back to Shin-ae.

“Sex drive, higher? Lower?” Both Dieter and Shin-ae furiously blushed and looked around the room embarrassed and nervous giggling.

“Ehe, yeah…”Shin-ae started, “I guess you could say it’s higher.”

“I know it’s embarrassing. These symptoms are very important to notate. You don’t need to feel bad about them, either. They are completely normal.” The nurse turned the page and started taking Shin-ae’s vitals then returned to the chart, “What birth control were you on when you got pregnant?”

“Well,” Shin-ae looked down at her hands and started fidgeting, “We weren’t on anything…” The nurse peered at them over her clipboard.

“Nothing? Not even condoms?”

“No…” The nurse set the clipboard down and looked at them for a moment.

“Were you trying to get pregnant? Most couples your age wait a little while to have kids.”

“No...this was an accident.”

“Okay you guys,” the nurse clasped her hands together and sat on the stool, bringing her face closer to them, “First of all, if you’re not using protection there is no such thing as an accident.”

“It’s my fault,” Dieter piped up, “I forgot to use a condom.”

“Even so, it takes two to tango, guys. Shin-ae later on in your pregnancy I think it would be a good idea to discuss birth control methods for after the birth. It’s okay to want more children if that’s what you want, but people your age are actually more likely to have a second accidental pregnancy right after the first. We want this to be a happy time for you, okay? Not a stressful one.” Shin-ae looked up at her and nodded. The nurse was kind, but she couldn’t help but feel lectured. That’s all she had felt ever since she and Dieter found out. She supposed she deserved that though…

“Do you two have a plan?” the nurse asked softly after a few moments of silence.

“We’re keeping the baby and she will be moving in with me soon,” Dieter said looking over at Shin-ae for confirmation. Shin-ae nodded and looked back at the nurse who was now giving a kind smile.

“Okay, the doctor will have more questions for you. Shin-ae,” she handed Shin-ae a medical gown, ”Go ahead and change into this. You’ll need to be completely naked. The doctor will be doing a physical exam as well as a pelvic exam and then we will end with a transvaginal ultrasound.” The nurse left and Shin-ae looked over at Dieter, eyebrows knitted together.

“Transvaginal?” She asked and Dieter shrugged. Shin-ae stood up and started removing her shoes when Dieter stood up.

“I should leave to give you some privacy, '' he said trying to avert his eyes away from her upper-thigh that was now exposed. Shin-ae grabbed his wrist and looked up at him.

“No, please stay. I don’t want to be alone. I’m not a fan of medical offices in the first place.” Dieter nodded and kissed her forehead just before sitting back down, “Besides, it’s not like you haven’t seen my body. Especially after this weekend.” She said, blush spreading over her cheeks.

The doctor arrived shortly after and thus began the poking and prodding. She gave Shin-ae instructions on getting a blood test and urine test after the appointment, she pressed in various places along Shin-ae’s lower abdomen and gave Shin-ae a breast exam. Until then, Shin-ae didn’t realize how sore her breasts were, so this part of the appointment was an unpleasant surprise. She also got her first pap smear which was even more unpleasant and was told her mucus plug was in good condition, whatever the hell that meant. Then the doctor pulled out a purple and white wand looking gadget attached to a cord. The cord was plugged into what Shin-ae assumed was the ultrasound display. The doctor turned to Shin-ae and spoke in a reassuring and gentle voice.

“Do you know what this is?”

“No,” Shin-ae shook her head.

“Okay, I just want to prepare you for this. Most mothers have never seen this until their first pregnancy and it comes as a shock when they realize where it’s going.” Shin-ae took a deep breath and it finally hit her. That was going inside of her. Transvaginal ultrasound meant the ultrasound thingy was going into her.

“I thought ultrasounds went on top of the belly?” Dieter asked, apparently realizing what Shin-ae realized at the same moment. The doctor smiled at him.

“That is true for later on in the pregnancy,” she turned back to Shin-ae, “At this moment, the baby is very small and we can get more accurate measurements and readings from this angle. Are you ready?” Shin-ae gulped and then nodded. She didn’t realize how much her hands were shaking until Dieter took her hands into his. She saw the same nerves in his eyes which was oddly comforting. The doctor flicked the lights off and slowly inserted the want after spreading warm lube on it. It was much less uncomfortable than Shin-ae expected. There was a significant amount of pressure towards the top where she assumed her cervix was, but everything else was fine. The doctor was moving the wand in different motions and clicking keys on the keyboard. Suddenly they saw what looked like, well, a baby. It looked big on the screen, but Shin-ae knew it couldn’t be that big. There was a lot of movement that Shin-ae noticed too and she tightened her grip on Dieter.

“Oh looks like they’re awake right now. They’re squirming a lot. Can you feel that?” She looked at Shin-ae and Shin-ae shook her head, “That’s okay, you’ll be able to feel it pretty soon. You are measuring at 12 weeks, so I’m going to change that in your chart. Right now, based on these measurements your little one is the size of a small lime.” She moved the wand a tad and suddenly a fast-paced beat was heard in the room. It was like someone was banging on a drum but underwater, “And that is their heartbeat.”

Dieter’s heart started racing at the sound and an odd feeling overcame him. His eyes started to prickle and he was met with a dazed feeling, similar to the sensation he felt when he would faint. He felt an immense amount of pride hearing the heartbeat. Seeing Shin-ae’s growing belly and seeing the baby on the screen had made him feel excited but overly confident in his ability to be a dad and take care of his new family. But  _ hearing _ it brought euphoria and fear in the strongest sense. This was the happiest he had ever felt, but this was also making him think about the future. This was  _ his _ child. This was not just Shin-ae’s baby that he had the honor of helping her raise. It was really sinking in that this person was a who and not a what and this who was his.

Shin-ae’s reaction was similar but at the same time different. Every day she could see her tummy getting bigger. She could feel her center of gravity shift from her chest down into her hips. It was getting heavy down there and she knew why, but actually seeing what was in there and knowing it was making noise and moving was a different experience. She had no idea this thing was moving yet. She figured nugget wouldn’t start moving until much later, but she could see the baby moving. She could see the heartbeat flickering in their chest and she could hear the sound that went along with it. It was exciting in the right way and also devastating in the wrong way. It didn’t quite hit her until now that this is her new life. This was her new identity and she wasn’t entirely sure how she was supposed to cope with that or accept it. Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted by sniffles and she looked over to see tears staining Dieter's cheeks and his lip quivering. He kissed her hand and looked down in embarrassment when the doctor spoke up.

“You don’t have to be embarrassed. Every guy cries. At least the guys that come with  _ my _ patients do.” She smiled and finished up collecting whatever data was needed and flicked the lights back on.

“I am going to get you two some prints and I’m going to get the paperwork ready for Shin-ae to bring to the lab. I’ll be right back.” The minute the door closed Dieter erupted into quiet sobs and buried his face into Shin-ae’s side. Shin-ae was shocked to see him in this state. She’d never even seen him cry, let alone sob almost uncontrollably. He calmed down after a few moments and kissed all over Shin-ae’s hand.

“Thank you. Thank you so much. This is the best day of my life.”

“You’re welcome? I’m not sure what you’re thanking me for.” Dieter looked up at her with his piercing blue eyes.

“This,” he rested his hand on her tummy, ”Thank you for this. I love you so much Shin-ae.” Tears started streaming down her face and she realized that she loved him too. She was surprised by how in love with him she actually was and how unceremonious this moment was. She’d expect this moment to be so magical and romantic, but instead, she was laying in a paper gown and he was looking up at her double chins and all, and he was crying. And she was crying. And he was holding his hand over nugget and it was overwhelmingly perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, thanks for reading! I've been asked a couple of times, now, for social media handles, so I thought I would post it here just in case any of you want to interact in other places.
> 
> Just a warning, though, I'm a huge nerd and post really nerdy stuff. These are personal pages, so you'll get a wide variety of content from my life haha. So if you don't want to follow, I totally get it!
> 
> Twitter: @QunariQ
> 
> Tumblr: thequnariqueen
> 
> Instagram: @qunariqueen
> 
> Ummm I think that's it haha. See you tomorrow!


	19. Chapter 19: Lil' Buddy

“So before you leave, do you have any questions for me?” The doctor had returned with prints of the ultrasound and some papers for Shin-ae to hand over to the lab. Dieter had to swallow back tears as he looked at the ultrasound print. 

“Yeah, I’ve got one.” Shin-ae spoke out, “If I’m only 12 weeks, why is my bump this big already?” The doctor chuckled.

“Well everybody is different, but if I had to guess I’d say it’s due to two factors for you. One, you’re very small and didn’t have many places for your uterus to hide. Your height has a lot to do with it as well. Taller women tend to have bumps spread along their abdomen, but average to short women don’t have a lot of room for their uterus to push upwards. So, it has to go out. Of course, this is different for everyone. You might just be one of the lucky women to show more.”

“Yeah,” Shin-ae said flatly, “how lucky.”

“I have a question as well,” Dieter said shyly, “Is there anything she should be taking? Vitamins or medications?”

“Good question, dad. Honestly, any prenatal vitamin that has a lot of zinc in it will be good. I usually just recommend whatever the generic brand is. They are cheaper and do the same thing as the name brand vitamins.”

“What should I be feeding her and what should I not be feeding her?”

“Balanced meals are always good. No deli meats, fish with high mercury, or unpasteurized dairy. Also, you may be eating for two, but that doesn’t mean double your food intake. You only need to be eating an extra 300 calories.” Dieter laughed.

“I think we’d be better off letting her eat as much as she wants. She’s not one to limit her food intake, even before pregnancy.” Shin-ae glared at him playfully and he grinned back at her.

“Well if those are all of your questions, then you can head towards the lab, and once you are done giving samples go to the front desk and schedule your next ultrasound appointment for four weeks from now. That’s the big anatomy scan and that is the appointment that we can find out the gender if you would like. If there are any issues or concerns with your lab results we will contact you by next Friday.” She stood up and reached out to Shin-ae, “It was very nice meeting you two. Please feel free to contact my office about any concerns you’re having okay?”

“Yes, will do. Thank you!” Dieter said cheerfully. He brought Shin-ae’s clothes over to her, which he had folded during her physical and helped her untie the gown.

“So four weeks from now,” Shin-ae said, slipping her clothing articles back on, “That’s when we get to find out the gender. Do you want to find out the gender?”

“I just want a healthy baby. I’ll take a boy or a girl gladly” He paused for a moment before continuing, “But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to find out. I’m too excited to keep it a secret from myself.”

“Okay” Shin-ae giggled as she smoothed her dress over her bump, “That’s fine with me. I’ve been wondering how to refer to nugget for a few days now.”

“Speaking of nuggets,” Dieter said casually, “The gang wants to meet up tonight for dinner. Is that okay with you?” Lately, Shin-ae had wanted to avoid gatherings due to how tired she generally was, but this time she actually wanted to go.

“Yeah, actually. That sounds like a lot of fun. Also, I’m starving so I don’t think I’d turn down the chance to go get food even if it didn’t sound fun.” Dieter laughed and opened the door for her to make their way over to the lab.

\- - - -

“Shin-ae your bump is so cute! It’s bigger than the last time we saw it!”

“Do you guys have names picked out?”

“What’s the nursery going to look like?”

“Has anyone offered to throw you a baby shower yet? Rika and I would love to!”

Shin-ae was bombarded by questions from Rika and Maya the minute she and Dieter walked into the restaurant. She had hoped they would let this be a nice, peaceful evening, but she should have known better. She was going to need to spend the next couple of hours answering their questions and dealing with their overly-excited suggestions on how she should be handling pregnancy. After her appointment today, she was feeling somewhat better about the situation. She was sad, but also happy. She also felt remarkably close to Dieter, similar to how she felt around him after they slept together. Like they had broken down another barrier between them that was keeping them from getting closer. Just having him near her calmed her enough to endure the hell her girlfriends were putting her through.

Dieter felt similar. He felt so much more grounded in the situation than before. Hearing and seeing nugget brought him so much joy. He didn’t even realize someone could be this happy. He felt a new wave of inspiration overcome him and in his mind, he was already working out details of what the next few months would look like. What he would do to keep Shin-ae and nugget safe and how he would provide for them. He also was more in tune with Shin-ae’s emotions after today. He could almost sense her anxiety vibrating around her.

“Alright,” he said with a smile and rested his hand on Shin-ae’s thigh, “No we don’t have names yet and no we don’t have a plan for the nursery yet. It’s currently just an empty room at the moment. Let’s not overwhelm Shin-ae, though. She’s got a lot more to think about right now and I don’t want her overexerting herself tonight.”

“Actually we do have a placeholder name,” Shin-ae said, smiling mischievously, “We call this little one, nugget.”

“You would,” Yeong-Gi laughed

“What the hell Shin-ae,” Maya said rolling her eyes playfully, “That’s a baby in there. You should give him a real nickname. Like for humans?”

“Him?” Soushi asked, “How are you so sure it’s a boy?”

“Uhh womanly intuition. Duh!”

“I think it’s a girl,” Rika swooned, “but that’s probably partially because I really want it to be a girl.”

“Yeah I think it’s a girl too,” Soushi said, “just feels like it. What do you guys think?” He asked Min-Hyuk and Yeong-Gi. The two men looked at each other and then looked back at the group.

“Boy.” They both stated in sync with each other.

“So Shin-ae, how did the appointment go?” Rika asked.

“Oh yeah, I was going to show you guys the pictures.” Shin-ae reached into her crossbody bag and pulled out the ultrasound pictures for everyone. Rika and Maya cooed and claimed they could tell the baby would have Dieter’s lips and nose but had Shin-ae’s eyes. Shin-ae rolled her eyes and smiled at their confidence. She wouldn’t mind that, of course, but there was no way they could deduct that from a picture of the blob. Nugget was shaped like a baby, yes, but the features were still clay-like. 

“I heard you signed another contract with the Hirahara office,” Yeong-Gi said,” I’m surprised. You were so ready to get out of there.”

“Well I was, but the pay is good and the insurance is even better. So I really need to keep it for the foreseeable future. It’s also a pretty easy job and doesn’t require much intensive labor which would be good for nugget.”

“Makes sense, I don’t understand why Kousuke is still here. He got that job at the Japan office. Why is he still here?”

“Beats me,” Shin-ae said sipping at her ginger ale, “Who do you think I’ll work with when he leaves, though?”

“Possibly my dad? I don’t know.”

“Rand is cool; that wouldn’t be so bad. I’m pretty sure I would enjoy working with your dad more than Kousuke.” Shin-ae snorted. It’s not that she disliked Kousuke, but after the formal, she became more uncomfortable around him. He had acted distant and overbearing at the same time. Plus being around him meant being around his mother, and Shin-ae wanted nothing to do with that woman.

\- - - -

After dinner, Shin-ae decided to stay with Dieter for the night. Today was a big day and she wanted to continue to share it with him. They first stopped at her place so she could grab some clothes when Dieter realized something.

“Hey, should we bring Lil’ Buddy over to the new place now? The boxes are unpacked and I can start getting him toys and food.”

“Oh,” Shin-ae said, “I hadn’t even thought about that. Yeah, I think tonight would be as good as any night. And with me staying over more he probably gets lonely. You’re sure pets are allowed?”

“Yes. That was the first thing I checked for when I started looking for apartments.” Shin-ae’s heart swelled. She loved how much Dieter loved animals and she loved that Lil’ Buddy loved Dieter. He certainly didn’t feel that way about anyone else in Shin-ae’s life.

Shin-ae ran inside to grab her things and had Dieter stay outside to call Lil’ Buddy over. When she came back out Dieter was still searching for him. This concerned her. Lil’ Buddy wasn’t the type to wander too far away. He usually stayed in this area and would come when he was called. Shin-ae’s chest filled with fear and she started to feel short of breath. What if something happened? Finally, she would be able to keep her cat safe and he could have possibly gotten hurt. Dieter turned to grab Shin-ae and pulled her in for a hug, noticing how upset she had become.

“Hey, we’ll find him. He’s probably just run off somewhere and can’t hear us. We’ll come back tomorrow and look some more.” Shin-ae nodded but her eyes didn’t match the facade she was trying to pass off, “You told me he’s a daredevil. He’s probably off having fun. We’ll have him at the apartment in no time.” Dieter kissed the top of Shin-ae’s head and she glanced around one last time before getting in the car and riding to her and Dieter’s apartment. She hoped he was right. She couldn’t imagine losing Lil’ Buddy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! See you tomorrow!


	20. Chapter 20: The Becker-Wulffs

It had been two weeks since their appointment. Two weeks since he saw nugget and two weeks since he heard their heartbeat. And he missed it desperately. He didn’t feel like he would make it another two weeks without seeing them. The good news was Shin-ae’s lab work came back and everything was perfect. Shin-ae had started gaining back the weight she had lost in the first trimester, but she was still her slender self. He was just happy she wasn’t getting sick anymore.

It had also been two weeks since they had searched for Lil’ Buddy who had still not shown up yet. Dieter called all of the humane societies and shelters in their area every single day to check in and see if he had shown up there. Shin-ae was devastated and he was quickly losing hope that they would find him, but he would keep calling and keep looking for as long as he needed to.

Today, he and Shin-ae didn’t have much time to dwell on their missing cat because today they would be telling Dieter’s family that they were expecting. Dieter was a nervous wreck and had been practicing his announcement for the last week. He had told his parents that he wanted to introduce them to his new girlfriend and so they said he should come over and they would have dinner together at his parents’ home. Shin-ae was convinced they would hate her, but Dieter knew better. He knew they would love her.

Dieter awoke that morning to the most...interesting sensation. Shin-ae was laying on her back and Dieter was laying across her midsection, face just above her bump and arm cradling it. He listened to Shin-ae’s heartbeat and her soft snores, but what woke him up...was a weird feeling right up against his face. He opened his eyes and splayed his hand across Shin-ae’s belly and waited. He could have sworn he felt something just now up against his face. Not quite a nudge or kick, but movement of some kind. When he didn’t feel anything he pressed his hand firmly, but gently against her tummy and waited again. This time it didn’t take long for him to feel it again. The movement was so light that he could easily be imagining it, and he wondered if he was, but he felt the same thing twice. He was sure that nugget was moving and he could  _ feel _ it. When he felt the sensation for the third time he nudged Shin-ae awake.

“Do you feel that?” he whispered.

“Feel what?” she asked groggily, staring down at him. He felt the movement again.

“That!”

“Wait, are you feeling kicks?” Shin-ae looked at her bump trying to focus on whatever it was that Dieter could feel, “I don’t feel anything...what the hell? How are you able to feel it before me?”

“I don’t know, but it’s light and I questioned whether I was actually feeling it or not. But I’ve now felt it 4 times and that is making it really hard to believe that I’m just imagining it.”

“Ughhhh, okay well now that I’m awake I need to pee,” She said rolling out of bed and slightly waddling to the bathroom. She slept in her underwear and one of his shirts every night now and he loved seeing it. He loved waking up next to her in the mornings and falling asleep in her arms at night. They had slowly started moving Shin-ae’s belongings over and she would be completely moved in by next week. Her father was sad to see her move out, but he was proud of how well she and Dieter were handling this situation.

Situation...Dieter hated calling it that. Calling it a situation sounded like it was a bad thing; like he didn’t want to be in it. But that was far from the truth. If he hadn’t gotten Shin-ae pregnant he would still be streaming and making money. He would probably still live at home, but that was okay because he enjoyed that home. His life would be great, but it would be missing something so important to him. His new family with Shin-ae was his biggest priority and he wouldn’t trade it for anything. If he could go back in time and change what happened, he wouldn’t. He wouldn’t even consider it. 

That’s why he didn’t like calling it a “situation.” Shin-ae on the other hand didn’t feel the same way, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t happy. She was having a very difficult time with this new life. Somedays she was happy and confident. She would talk to and gush about nugget and her and Dieter would laugh thinking about what nugget would be like. But somedays Shin-ae was not happy. Somedays she felt darkness looming over her and she feared for her future. Somedays she tried to pretend that nugget didn’t exist and that her life was unchanged. This was hard on her and Dieter didn’t know how to fix that. He hoped this was just a normal part of pregnancy for her, but also hoped that it would get better as time went on.

\- - - - 

The day had been pretty uneventful up until dinner. Shin-ae wore a loose-fitting blouse that hid her bump perfectly and some soft maternity jeans. She didn’t want to dress up too much, but she also wanted to make a good first impression. Maybe if she made a good first impression they wouldn’t hate her as much when they broke the news to his parents. Dieter wore a nice short-sleeve, button-up shirt and casual jeans. He had the same idea as Shin-ae. Don’t dress up too much, but look nice enough and don't give them anything else to be upset about. 

They pulled up to his parents’ place and Shin-ae immediately felt nauseous. She was 14 weeks along and hadn’t felt sick since week 11. She tried to just breathe deeply and slowly, and get up there and meet his family. They had to be nice people because he was a nice person. There’s no way mean people raised a sweet, polite person like Dieter.

When the door opened, Dieter’s sister flung herself out and wrapped Shin-ae in a huge bear hug.

“I’m so happy I get to finally meet you!” she squealed, “Dieter has had a crush on you for so long!”

“Leah, stop,” Dieter begged, “You’re going to make her feel uncomfortable.”

“Deedee, girls like being told that guys had a crush on them. It makes them feel wanted,” Leah said flipping her hair behind her shoulder and turning to lead them in.

“Deedee?” Shin-ae muttered with a wicked smile. Dieter blushed and turned away.

“That’s her nickname for me,” he muttered back.

“Oh, that’s gold. I’m going to have to use that.” Shin-ae snickered. Around the corner came a woman with blonde hair and blue eyes. She smiled at Shin-ae.

“Shin-ae! It’s so good to meet you!” she cooed, “we’ve heard so much about you. I heard you’re very good with math and academics.”

“Oh, um yeah I guess,” Shin-ae smiled politely. Dieter led her to the table where his father and grandmother sat chatting. Shin-ae realized that there was a very good chance that nugget would be blonde-haired, blue-eyed because those traits seemed to run  _ deep _ in his family. Every single person in that house had the same bright eyes and flaxen hair that he had.

“Oma, Papa, this is my girlfriend, Shin-ae.” Dieter’s father and grandmother smiled and greeted her.

“Ahh this is the girl you walked with at graduation, wasn’t it?” he asked. Shin-ae nodded and smiled. The combination of her nerves mixed with all of the rich smells made her stomach turn. She could hardly answer his father for fear that she would have to run to the bathroom. Dieter seemed to sense this because he pulled out a chair for her next to where his sister sat and beckoned her to sit. Once she sat, he sat next to her on her other side and started asking his father various questions about work to try and get the attention off of Shin-ae.

For the most part, dinner was enjoyable. Shin-ae ate very little due to her upset stomach, but the food tasted heavenly. Dieter’s mother and sister chatted with Shin-ae for most of the meal asking her about work and hobbies and how she was enjoying life outside of high school. Surprisingly, his mother was very supportive of her taking a year off from school to work and even encouraged it. She felt it was very important for young people to explore who they were before they made huge commitments like what they wanted to do for the rest of their lives. Shin-ae was appreciative of this but she knew the irony in the situation. Part of the reason she would be taking a year off, or more, was because of motherhood, aka, a huge lifelong commitment. After everyone finished Dieter spoke up nervously.

“So, Shin-ae and I have some exciting news. Well, I’m excited, “he said bashfully and looked down, “You all might feel differently.” He had piqued the interest of everyone at the table, “I hope that you will be happy for us, but I know this is going to come as a huge surprise.”

“Spuck es schon aus!” his sister blurted smiling widely. Dieter took in a shaky breath and swallowed hard, Adams apple bobbing in his throat.

“Shin-ae and I are going to have a baby…” he said, so quietly that Shin-ae wondered if anyone had even heard him. They all just stared, letting this sit in the air.

“Like, in a few years? Are you telling us you’re planning for a family after school?” his mother said, clearly in denial. Shin-ae felt her stomach coil.

“N-no mom, Shin-ae is pregnant. Right now.” His mother covered her mouth, looking as if she was about to cry and his grandmother smiled. Suddenly his dad reached over and smacked Dieter on the back of the head.

“Ack!”

“Dieter, what the fuck? You got this girl pregnant? You’re still just a boy!” His dad yelled and Shin-ae erupted into a cold sweat. So much for not getting sick tonight.

“Dieter, you are just about to start school. What were you thinking?” his mother cried out. Tears started to stream down her face.

“Let alone what you’ve done to this poor girl’s life. She helps you with your math homework and you repay her by getting her pregnant?” His father continued to reprimand, but that’s all Shin-ae heard before bolting to the bathroom and spilling the contents of her stomach. Leah went after her to make sure she was okay and Dieter’s father tried to calm down, “I’m very disappointed in you Dieter, but I’m more disappointed that I didn’t raise you well enough to avoid this whole situation in the first place-”

“Dad, this is not a situation,” Dieter lashed out, “I am _so_ happy about this and I’m tired of everyone referring to it like it’s some bad thing that happened. It’s not a bad thing, it’s a good thing. I can’t wait to meet our baby and take care of them. Was this a mistake? Yes, we did not mean for this to happen, but that does not make our baby unwanted. Would I go back in time and keep it from happening? No, not at all. Not even for a second would I consider that.” Dieter’s parents stared back at him in disbelief and shock. His grandmother calmly sat there with a smile on her face, clearly enjoying the news that she would soon be a great grandmother.

“You are looking at this through rose-tinted glasses. This is serious. You can be happy about this all you want, but happiness doesn’t take care of an infant. Infants take and take. They can only take. They will not love you the way you think they will until they are much older. They cannot give you anything. You will have to constantly give and get nothing in return. You need to understand that.” His father said firmly.

“And why is that such a bad thing? Why is it bad to want to care for something?”

“Because you’re not ready,” his dad started to raise his voice.

“Says who?” Dieter fought back.

“Says us, Dieter,” His mom said with finality, “ _ I say _ you’re not ready. You just introduced us to this girl. You haven’t been dating long enough to know if you’re ready as a couple, let alone an individual.” His dad leaned back and sighed.

“You introduce us to her to tell us she’s pregnant. You think we don’t know what that means? You got her pregnant before you were even a couple. You had casual sex with her and she got pregnant as a result-”

“Yeah, I may have gotten her pregnant before we were officially dating,” Dieter said stubbornly, “but nothing about that night was casual.” The air was thick with awkward silence and the muffled sniffles of Shin-ae talking with Leah. Dieter’s mother took a deep breath, wiped at her tears, and looked up at Dieter.

“Have you been to your first appointment yet?” She asked softly. Dieter pulled out a copy of the ultrasound picture from his pocket.

“I brought this for you,” he said as he slid it across the table. His mom let out a small gasp and let out a small sob and smiled.

“That doesn’t look like an early ultrasound picture. How far along was she when you two went in?” his dad asked.

“She was 12 weeks at the time. She’s now 14 weeks along. I think I felt the baby move this morning.” Dieter’s mom looked up at him with a quivering lip. Clearly she was battling with some pretty complex emotions. 

“I really get to be a grandma?” she said just above a whisper.

“Yes,” Dieter said with a small smile and his mom walked over to him and wrapped him in a hug, muttering encouragements to him. He had felt so confident about this whole situation until witnessing his parents' reactions. Was he really ready? Probably not, but he could get ready, right? People did that...right?

“14 weeks, huh? That's about three months ago," His father paused and rubbed his face, "Your birthday was about 3 months ago and you had the house to yourself-”

“Halt! Nicht mehr. Nicht heute Nacht,” his mother snapped and went back to hugging Dieter.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy this update. See you tomorrow :)


	21. Chapter 21: Dinner and a Show

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, I'm posting this update a little early because I'll be out tonight. Tomorrow's chapter will most likely come later in the evening (evening for me) but there is a chance it will come early like today's.

Shin-ae sat on the edge of the tub next to the toilet and cried while Leah rubbed her back. This was not how she anticipated tonight. She didn’t think it would go well, necessarily, but she didn’t think it would go this bad. His parents must think she was terribly irresponsible and that their son is ruining his life being with her. They were probably right, she probably is ruining his life with all of her problems. She is probably going to be a horrible girlfriend and an even worse mother and Dieter would be stuck with her, forever regretting getting close to her. Why he liked her, she didn’t understand. She  _ was _ irresponsible. His parents were right to think badly of her-

“Hey,” Leah interrupted her thoughts with a soft shushing, “Shin-ae, it’s alright. I promise things will be alright. Even if my brother wasn’t capable of taking care of you and this baby, I wouldn’t let you guys suffer. I will be there to help.” Shin-ae started to calm down once Leah started talking. Her mind ceased its spiraling and she looked up at Leah.

“Why? How do you know I’m not going to be a terrible mother and terrible with your brother?” 

“The fact that you’re so concerned about it tells me you won’t be. I had a friend who got pregnant in high school. She had very similar fears. She turned out fine even without all the help she got from family and friends. You and Deedee will be fine,” She paused and giggled, “My parents are probably so excited.”

“It doesn’t sound like it to me” Shin-ae muttered.

“Trust me, they’re just upset with my brother for being irresponsible. After they get over the initial shock, they are going to be so happy about this. I’m sure they just always planned on me having kids first and this threw off their plans.” Shin-ae took a deep breath and tried to level out her emotions. She knew that all of this crying was due to being over-emotional from pregnancy. She couldn’t imagine having this same reaction before pregnancy.

“This is not how I pictured tonight going,” Shin-ae muttered, “I mean, sure, I didn’t picture it going particularly well. And I think tonight went better than when we told my dad, but this was still not how I pictured tonight.”

“Was your dad mad at you?”

“Umm,” Shin-ae struggled, “Let’s just say my dad overheard Dieter and I talking and didn’t like that we were alone in my room...and then I had to tell him…He started out mad, but by the time I actually made the announcement he had calmed down.” Leah nodded and quickly changed the subject.

“Have you told your mother yet?”

“I lost contact with my mother a very long time ago…” Shin-ae said solemnly. 

“Oh, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed-”

“No, it’s alright,” Shin-ae gave her a slight smile, “Thank you for being concerned. Actually, hardly anyone has asked me how I’ve handled telling people” She paused and thought for a moment before continuing, “Your dad seems really upset with Dieter. Do you think your dad will always be this angry with him? I’d hate to ruin their relationship.”

“Oh, their relationship struggled well before you came into the picture,” Leah sighed, “Dad and Deedee have always had an interesting relationship. Our dad has always tried to push activities on Dieter. He wanted Dieter to toughen up and get into sports, so Dieter started Judo, and then my dad wasn’t happy with that. He wanted Dieter to do something else. Some other type of martial arts, I don’t remember which one, but Dieter held his ground. I think you’ll learn very quickly that Dieter is stubborn. When he sets his mind on something, that’s it. There’s no changing it, and dad didn’t always like that.” Shin-ae smiled to herself. She definitely saw Dieter’s stubbornness, but it was never bad to her. She always saw it as persistence and stability, rather than stubbornness. 

“Dieter’s never even alluded to the idea that he and his dad don’t get along. Make’s me kinda sad because I have such a good relationship with my dad.”

“It’s not that they don’t get along, I think they just don’t see eye to eye on things. My brother is more like our mom, where I am more like our dad.” Leah smiled.

Shin-ae sat in the bathroom with Leah for a few more minutes before they realized the yelling had stopped out in the dining room. Leah suggested they go back out there and Shin-ae agreed reluctantly. Now Shin-ae felt like everyone would be staring at her and she was not looking forward to that. As they walked out of the bathroom they were met by Dieter’s mother who immediately wrapped Shin-ae in a hug. After tonight, it was safe to assume that Dieter’s family was always going to be touching her from now on.

“Shin-ae I’m  _ so _ sorry about that outburst. We didn’t mean to make you upset. Please,  _ please _ forgive us.”

“Oh um, thank you? I was feeling sick beforehand, so I don’t think you were entirely to blame.”

“Let me make it up to you. Why don’t you, Leah, and I go out for lunch tomorrow. We can have a relaxing afternoon, just us girls!”

“O-oh, “Shin-ae said in surprise, “Yeah, t-that sounds fun.” She was led to the table where the rest of the family was sitting having what seemed like a pleasant conversation. Dieter had a pile of Tupperware containers stacked in front of him, which must have contained tonight’s leftovers. That was something Shin-ae could get used to. If Dieter’s family were the type to give them food, she would be happy to spend more time with them. Dieter’s mom and sister seemed genuinely kind and she appreciated that.

\- - - -

Back at her and Dieter’s place, Dieter had put away the leftovers after Shin-ae had a chance to eat another helping. Dieter had been especially quiet after dinner which worried Shin-ae. She feared that he was upset with her or maybe his parents had struck a nerve and now he really was considering leaving her. He noticed Shin-ae’s anxious mood and sat next to her at their breakfast bar where Shin-ae sat and ate.

“I am so sorry about tonight. I feel so ashamed for how my family handled all of this.”

“It’s not your fault Dieter,” Shin-ae smiled up at him, “It’s not like we could have kept this from them for much longer. You seemed like you were having a good time in the end, there...”

“I was just trying to keep the mood light. My dad and I really got into it until my mom made him shut up. She was mad at my dad for making you upset and wanted you to feel comfortable coming back to the room.”

“That was a good call from her...I was so nervous to go back out there. Your sister is a very nice person. She reminds me of you.” Dieter smiled and kissed her shoulder.

“Why’s that?”

“She made it so easy for me to talk to her. It reminded me of how you made me feel in the beginning of getting to know you. You were so easy to talk to and I never felt like you were going to judge me too harshly. That’s why I confided in you instead of my girlfriends.” Dieter blushed and smiled to himself. It made Shin-ae think back to where they started and where they were now. How they started out in such an awkward state, but it didn’t take long for them to open up to each other. 

“Dieter, can I ask you something?”

“Of course. You never need to ask for my permission to ask me a question,” Dieter chuckled.

“Are you actually excited for this baby? You’re not just saying that to make me feel better, right?” Dieter wrapped one arm around her shoulders and rested his other hand on her swollen belly.

“Shin-ae, I am  _ so _ excited about our baby. I am happier than I have ever been in my entire life. I promise you, I am not just saying that. Why do you ask?”

“I just...” She paused, trying to find the words to describe her feelings, “I guess I’m just scared that one day you won’t be so confident about all of this. You’re handling this so well and I’m not and I guess I’m just curious as to how you are so sure that everything will be ok…”

“I don’t necessarily know the answer to that,” Dieter said, “But I just feel good about this. I wish I could make you feel better about everything.” They sat there in silence for a few moments before Shin-ae looked back up at Dieter.

“Thank you for tonight,” she said with a small smile.

“Why are you thanking me? What did I do?”

“You just make everything better. You make me feel like I’m enough and that’s a feeling that I never felt until meeting you,” Shin-ae wrapped her arms around Dieter’s neck and kissed him. When she pulled away she peered at him through hooded eyes, “I think I may know a way that you can make me feel better, at least temporarily…” Dieter stood up off the chair and Shin-ae wrapped her legs around his waist. He lifted her out of the chair and started kissing up her neck while carrying her to their bedroom.

“I think I may know a way, too,” He said in between kisses.


	22. Chapter 22: Guy Talk

“This is all your fault!” Dieter jumped and turned to see Soushi barging in through the door of his apartment. Shin-ae had been picked up about 10 minutes ago by his mother and sister for a girls-day-out. He was nervous but very excited for her. 

“Good seeing you too, Soushi, “Dieter said with a smile. He was not expecting to see Soushi today, “Remind me again, what’s my fault?” Soushi plopped himself next to Dieter on the couch and drug his hands over his face.

“Rika is all excited about you and Shin-ae having a baby and today she told me she wants a baby!” Dieter burst into laughter. Of all the things he could be blamed for, this was not one he had anticipated. Soushi glared at him and continued, “Seriously, mate, she literally asked me when I was going to give her a baby. We’ve only been dating for a few months and she’s already thinking about babies!”.

“Soushi, you have three sisters. Didn’t they ever talk about babies?”

“Oh yeah, of course they did. That doesn’t mean that _I_ have to think about babies, though.”

“No, but that is something that a lot of girls think about. Is it really shocking that she has a similar desire to other girls?”.

“No,” Soushi grumbled, clearly not enjoying this new revelation about his girlfriend, “It’s not weird, I guess. I’ve never thought about having kids, so how the hell would I know when I’m going to be ready to have any? I may never be ready.”

“Really? You’ve never thought about having kids?”

“No. I’ve always pictured myself without kids. I’m not against the idea of them, but I’ve never given it enough thought.”

“Well…” Dieter turned away with a sly smile, “Maybe you should start thinking about it-”

“Oh! Fuck no, mate. No!” Soushi exclaimed.

“Calm down,” Dieter was laughing again, “I’m just kidding. You’re probably right that she shouldn’t want a baby yet, but don’t be too hard on her. She’s just sharing her desires with you. That’s something you should enjoy.”

“Yeah, I guess. It just freaked me out. I don’t want to think about that. It’s hard enough thinking about you and Shin-ae having a baby.”

“Why?”

“Because pretty soon you won't have time for Yeong-Gi and I. You won't be able to go out or come over to play video games. I probably shouldn’t even be around your kid because I’ll just be a bad influence-”

“Soushi, I’ll still have time for you. And of course I would want you to be around my kid. You’re my best friend.” Soushi looked at Dieter and sighed.

“You already don’t have time for me,” Soushi said disgruntled, “You spend a lot of your time with Shin-ae, which is cool and all, but we just graduated. It’s summer and we’ve barely hung out.” Dieter looked down at his hands. Was Soushi right? Was he pulling away from his friends? Surely his friends were busy with their own lives as well, right?

“I’m sorry, Soushi. I didn’t want you to feel like I didn’t have time for you. I guess things have been kinda crazy with going to appointments and getting Shin-ae moved in here,” Dieter looked back up at Soushi, “How about we hang out today? I’ll make an effort to start hanging out more and you can even join me on my streams if you’d like.” 

“Yeah,” Soushi smiled to himself, “I think I’d like that.” Dieter walked over to the fridge, grabbed two energy drinks, and tossed one over to Soushi. For the next few hours, he and Sousi played video games and talked. It was nice hanging out with Soushi and getting his mind off of baby stuff. Since last night he had been battling with his emotions and wondering if he really was going to be a good dad.

“So how’s it been going? Did you tell your parents yet?” Soushi asked.

“Yeah,” Dieter said letting out a long sigh, “last night, actually. It did not go well.”

“Oh shiiiit”

“Yeah. I went into it too confidently, I think.”

“Shit, what happened?” Dieter paused the game and set down his controller. He wasn’t going to be able to focus on a game while talking about this and he was not going to let Soushi take advantage of that.

“So, lately I’ve been a little upset that people keep referring to Shin-ae’s pregnancy as a situation. I don’t see it as a situation-”

“Well what do you call it then?” Soushi asked with a puzzled look on his face.

“Honestly? I see it as a blessing. I see this as a really good thing. And it is starting to get under my skin when people act negatively to it-”

“You’re not scared? Like at all?”

“Well I wouldn’t say I’m not scared, but I am also excited and that outweighs my fears. At least until last night” at this point, Dieter had Soushi’s full attention. Soushi couldn’t fathom being excited about this. To him, this would be a nightmare, “My dad went off on me last night. Lecturing me on what babies were like and saying I wasn’t ready. Even my mom, in the beginning, was agreeing with him.”

“Do you really think you’re ready, though?”

“Yeah, I mean, I did. Now I’m second-guessing myself. Like, what if I’m a shit dad and can’t do anything right? What if I go into this too confidently and then I get sideswiped by parenthood? What if I can’t provide enough for nugget and Shin-ae and then Shin-ae regrets ever doing this with me?” Dieter didn’t realize how extensive his fears were until he laid them out for Soushi. It felt good to talk them out, but he was quickly realizing how close he was to drowning and that was not something he wanted to happen. Soushi caught on to Dieter’s state of panic and put a hand on his shoulder in a comforting gesture.

“Hey, mate, I can’t guarantee you’re going to be a good dad, but I know damn well you’re not going to be a bad one. I don’t know enough about this whole dad gig to really give you advice, but you will figure it out. You’re handling this much better than I would, I’ll tell you that.”

“Thanks, man,” Dieter said quietly, not completely believing him, but appreciating the way Soushi was able to pick up on his panic, “I’m just nervous now. I was  _ fine _ before last night. Now my dad has me second-guessing myself.”

“Your dad probably is just jealous that you get to work from home. He probably doesn’t see it as a real job. Most old farts are that way, don’t let them bring down your parade. I’ll be here to help, though, so you shouldn’t be too worried,” Soushi said with a sly look.

“Hours ago you were just telling me that you can’t picture yourself having kids and now all of a sudden you’re a daddy guru,” Dieter laughed.

“Oh hell yeah, you  _ know _ I’m daddy.” Soushi laughed and Dieter lost it. It felt so good to laugh with Soushi again. Dieter didn’t realize until today how little time he was spending with Soushi and how much he missed it. After catching their breath Soushi pointed at Dieter’s phone on the coffee table, “Oh, mate, you’re phone’s going off.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading. I really do appreciate all of you.
> 
> I'm going, to be honest with you guys, I am starting to get a little burnt out on writing. I will finish this and I want to finish it well, and for that to happen, there's a possibility that pretty soon I won't be able to update every day. It sucks and I wanted to keep up that pace, but I'm starting to struggle to keep up. :(
> 
> I promise, though, I will finish this fic. I am aiming to finish before October, but I may not be able to keep that end date. I will not abandon this fic, though.


	23. Chapter 23: Girl Talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh man, sorry I didn't get this posted yesterday. So my state is on fire and the fire is really close to my home. Last night we were put on level 2 warning which means be ready to leave and today we were evacuated. So I'm staying with my parents right now. So far my house hasn't burned down so that's good.

Shin-ae rubbed her sweaty palms on her leggings and tried to stay calm. She had only just met Dieter’s family and was now in the car with his mother and sister. They were very nice and she didn’t have any reason to be nervous, but meeting new people was always a little difficult for her. She used to avoid new friendships, but she was past that barrier. Yeong-Gi and Dieter and even Soushi showed her that she didn’t need to fear making new friends. The two other people in the car with her were also now related to her through her child, so a good relationship was very important.

“So, Shin-ae,” Dieter’s mom turned to ask her a question, “What’s your favorite food?”

“Umm I don’t really have a favorite food,” Shin-ae said politely.

“You don’t need to be modest. We’ll go wherever you would like to go. This is my treat,” she smiled back at Shin-ae. It was that same kind smile that Dieter had; the same smile that melted her heart.

“No, seriously,” Shin-ae giggled, “I  _ love _ food, but I don’t really have a favorite. I love all food.”

“Okay, maybe this will be easier to answer,” Leah chimed in, “What have you been craving during pregnancy?” Shin-ae did not like this question. She was about to expose, probably the freakiest thing about herself to the people she was trying to impress. All thanks to nugget, she would be the laughing stock of the Becker-Wulff family.

“So…” Shin-ae started nervously, “I know this is super weird. I never would have craved this outside of pregnancy. My biggest craving is...ice cream with bacon bits on top…” Silence. It was dead silent in the car. Leah looked back and forth between her mother and the rearview mirror at Shin-ae. Dieter’s mother, however, didn’t look phased, which Shin-ae didn’t know how to interpret. Shin-ae hastily added, “But we obviously don’t need to get something like that. That’s just my biggest craving! We can eat anything you would like-”

“That reminds me so much of my pregnancy cravings with Dieter. I was obsessed with eating pickles in vanilla icecream. The tanginess of the pickles and the sweet, simple flavor of the ice cream was amazing together.”

“Oh! I’ve had a thing for pickles as well. I just haven’t obsessed over it like I have with the bacon and ice cream thing.”

“Oh, then do I have the place for you,” Dieter’s mom said with a smile.

\- - - -

“This is the best sundae I have ever eaten, omigahhhh,” Shin-ae said while shoveling another bite of ice cream into her mouth. Leah looked like she was not sure how to react. She was grossed out but tried desperately to hide it so as to not make Shin-ae self-conscious. Dieter’s mom, on the other hand, gave her an expecting look that reminded Shin-ae of Mrs. Hirahara in a way. The contrast between the two was drastic, though. Mrs. Hirahara looked as if she were a spider watching you fall into her trap. She looked at you with expectant eyes that delighted in seeing you tortured and manipulated. Dieter’s mom gave Shin-ae a look of an excited mother on Christmas who knew she bought you exactly what you wanted and was so excited to see the look on your face when you finally got the gift unwrapped. Shin-ae found herself picturing her and Dieter watching nugget, who was just a faceless blonde kid in her imagination, opening presents on Christmas day or their birthday. Her mind even gave her little glances of what it might look like with more than one child. She quickly shook these thoughts away and focused back on her ice cream.

“I’m so glad you like it!” Dieter’s mom exclaimed, “This place opened a couple of years back. I was skeptical of it until I heard that they had pickle ice cream. I just  _ had _ to try it and fell in love.”

“So, what all did you get in your ice cream, Shin-ae?” Leah asked while spooning some of her rocky road into her mouth.

“I got a scoop of the pickle ice cream, a scoop of queso cheddar cheese, a scoop of vanilla bean, and a scoop of curry coconut. With candied bacon, maple syrup, caramel, and hot fudge on top.” Shin-ae said, starting out excited but slowly realizing how absolutely disgusting it must seem to Leah. Dieter’s mom didn’t seem to mind and didn’t look at her like she was crazy, so that was good at least.

“We can still go out for real food if you want after this. I just thought you would get a kick out of this place. I had never heard of fusion ice cream until I came here.”

“Aren’t moms supposed to set a good example by eating real food _before_ deserts?” Shin-ae asked sarcastically. Dieter’s mom rolled her eyes playfully.

“We’re all adults here. Once you’re an adult you don’t have to follow dumb rules like that-”

“Dumb rules?” Leah blurted out, “You made me follow these rules religiously growing up. Now you’re calling them dumb?” the girls all laughed.

“Well, that’s because kids will eat dessert and then won’t eat dinner because their stomachs are so small. But as an adult, I know that I can eat dessert and still want to eat dinner. I can also choose to eat dessert  _ for  _ dinner, whereas a child shouldn’t do that.”

“Okay, can I just say, you’re like the coolest mom I’ve ever met,” Shin-ae chuckled. Maya’s mom was cool, but she wasn’t dessert before dinner cool. There was an air about Dieter’s mom that just screamed “Cool mom” that Maya’s mom didn’t have either. Shin-ae realized that she was really enjoying herself around this woman and could see herself getting along very well with her. She felt like she could truly be herself around the woman, as well, like she didn’t have to worry about saying something that would upset her.

“Oh,” Dieter’s mom waved the comment off, “I’m not that cool. I just want to enjoy today and have a nice girls day.” 

The three women sat together and got to know each other for the next half an hour before they decided to leave. They made their way to the outdoor shopping center where Shin-ae went to the movies with Dieter and Soushi. As she passed by the bench that she had sat in, her heart swelled at the memory of Dieter nervously asking her to a movie. Well, he didn’t really ask her. He just blurted out his desire to see a movie with her and she agreed that she felt the same way. She remembered how he had been so kind and pulled her out of her downward spiral. How after they shared that giddy, embarrassing moment together, his hand was so close to hers. She could have interlocked her fingers with his and melted into him had it been a different day and she had been in a different mindset. She also was reminded of how he handled her anxious state around Kousuke. He was very good at interpreting her emotions and when he sensed that she needed his help he stepped in gracefully and got her away from Kousuke.

She wondered what went through his mind that day. What was his day like before he had bumped into her? How was he feeling during the whole thing? He seemed excited to see her and then he was more than accommodating during the movie; letting her grab onto him if she got too scared. Turns out Soushi was the one who needed the hand holding the entire time. 

The more time she spent with those boys, the more she realized how much she valued their friendship. They came into her life during the perfect time; a time when she felt so alone after Min-Hyuk left for school. Soushi was overbearing and annoying, but he cared very much for his friends. Yeong-Gi was persistent and didn’t pay much attention to boundaries as much as he should, but that man would stop at nothing to help his friends. And Dieter...Dieter was shy and had a hard time masking his true emotions, but he loved hard. He was passionate and had his own issues opening up to her just as she did with everyone else, but he came around, and when he did their friendship bloomed.

Shin-ae spent the rest of the day shopping with Dieter’s mom and sister. His mother insisted on buying Shin-ae one of those glorious pregnancy pillows that she had secretly wanted even before pregnancy. Who doesn’t want a pillow that wraps around your entire body? She bought Shin-ae some other pregnancy accessories that Shin-ae didn’t even know existed and she was so grateful to have this woman in her life now. She became misty when she thought about what this would have been like if it had been with her own mother.

“Shin-ae, sweetie, what’s wrong?” Dieter’s mom asked. They were now eating at one of those booshie pizza places that served pizza by the slice and hosted local indie bands. 

“Sorry,” Shin-ae said turning away, “I just thought about what things could have been like had my mom been here to share this day with me. I am so appreciative of everything you’ve done; thank you so much. It just makes me sad.”

“Of course it does!” Dieter’s mom said reassuringly, “That’s perfectly normal to be sad about Shin-ae. I assumed that your mother wasn’t in the picture…”

“What gave it away?” Shin-ae asked.

“Just that you haven’t brought her up this entire day. I figured if she was involved in your life you would have at least mentioned her. I didn’t want to ask for fear of upsetting you, plus it’s not really any of my business.” Shin-ae started sniffling at that point and Leah got up to grab napkins while Dieter’s mom pulled her in for a firm hug, “Your mother may not be involved for one reason or another, but I am so dedicated to you and my son and your new family together. I promise you I will do anything you ask of me, ever.”

“I’ve never felt this maternal love before. I was abandoned by my own mother at a very young age and now I don’t know if she’s still alive or not. My best friend’s mom is very kind and loving towards me, but she’s still just a friend’s mom. Other moms I have met have been very manipulative and nasty and for just a second today...I felt like I finally had a mom.” Dieter’s mom hugged her tighter and shushed her gently, trying to calm her down.

“Of course you do, Shin-ae. I love you as if you were my own. You’re my family now and I will always be here for you when you need maternal guidance. You are so loved, don’t ever forget that,” Shin-ae lost it at that point. Damn these pregnancy hormones. When she finally calmed down, she continued,”My son has excellent taste. I can see why he’s liked you for so long now, and why he was never able to get over you.”

Shin-ae, Leah, and Dieter’s mom finished eating and talked for the rest of their visit. Shin-ae shared stories from her past with them and really opened up to these women. Leah had this spunky energy that uplifted Shin-ae in a way her other girlfriends couldn’t. She didn’t down-play Shin-ae’s issues, even the tiny, insignificant ones. She just gave Shin-ae the support that Shin-ae desperately needed. Dieter’s mom was this calming force that made her feel loved. Like nothing she did or said could make this woman love her any less. At first, she felt weird about it, coming from her boyfriend’s mother, but it felt too damn good to not relish in.

“Oh, hold that thought,” Shin-ae said as she pulled out her buzzing phone. It was Dieter. He was probably just calling to check in on her and see when she would get home. She flushed a tad, “It’s Dieter.”

“Hey what’s up?” She asked cheerfully.

_ “Shin-ae I found Lil’ Buddy!” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading and commenting and kudos-ing. It seriously makes my day knowing that there are people who read this story. Love you all, hope everyone is safe and well.


	24. Chapter 24: A Shift In The Tides

Dieter could feel the color draining from his face. He recalled the events of tonight trying to reassure himself everything was going to be okay. He received the phone call from the humane society saying they believed they found Lil’ Buddy. He rushed over there to pick him up, but what the humane society failed to tell him was that he was sick. He was weak, too skinny, and was limping, so Dieter rushed him to the emergency vet. They were now attending to him while Dieter waited in the sitting room, his anxiety festering.

When Shin-ae arrived she rushed over to him and greeted him with a warm hug. He barely returned it, not feeling like he deserved her touch. What if this was the end for Lil’ Buddy? What if they were unable to help him and this would be Dieter’s fault? Why didn’t he try harder to find Lil’ Buddy? Shin-ae would surely leave him. She would be too upset to want to stay with him and he deserved it. 

He could have just stayed friends with her, but every time they would hang out even just as friends, he would want more. He craved her attention and affection. He waited for her. He had, at first, believed she would never want anything more with him. He recalled that day she apologized for rejecting him so harshly, Soushi had teased him and suggested maybe things would grow between them. At the time, he was just happy to be able to talk to her and get to know her better as an acquaintance. The more time they spent as friends, though, the harder he would hold on to her. It was almost physically painful to leave her when they were finished spending time together.

He had failed her. He failed their little family by allowing this to happen. He was unfit to own an animal and if that were the case, which it was, he was absolutely unfit to be a parent. She could have been with someone else who actually knew how to take care of her. Better yet, she could have been with someone who wouldn’t have knocked her up at the first chance they got out of pure stupidity. She wouldn’t be stuck with them like she was with him now. He could have just allowed her relationship with Yeong-Gi to grow. He saw the way they interacted, he could see the romantic tension between the two. 

Yet here she was, looking into  _ his _ eyes in the most loving and concerned way. She had followed him into this mess he put her in and she was somehow happy to be there. She threaded her fingers through his and laid her head on his shoulder and he almost wept with happiness, realizing that he was so scared of how she would handle being around him after this. As far as he could tell she was happy to see him and he wasn’t sure how to feel about that. She  _ should _ be angry and disappointed with him. She  _ should _ want to leave him, as he’s now proven that he can’t handle this level of responsibility. But she wasn’t. She wasn’t angry or leaving and that filled his heart with hope and a strong desire to make this right.

“Dieter, this is the saddest I’ve ever seen you. Please tell me what you’re thinking about.”

“This is my fault,” he said just above a whisper, “If I hadn’t kept you away from home, he probably never would have run off and he wouldn’t be hurt.”

“Kept me away from home?”

“You stayed at the new apartment for a whole weekend when I first showed it to you. Lil’ Buddy probably got worried and went off in search of you and now he’s hurt and it’s my fault,” Dieter dropped his head in anguish.

“This isn’t your fault, Dieter,” Shin-ae said softly, “He does this all the time. He’ll run off for a few days and come back. It’s just part of being an outdoor cat,” Shin-ae lifted his head up and turned it so that he was looking at her directly in the eyes, “You didn’t keep me away from home.  _ You _ are home.” Dieter’s breath hitched and his eyes became misty. His lip quivered and those words replayed in his head over and over, willing him to believe them. Did she really think that? Just before he was able to say anything, a vet stepped out from behind the door into the waiting room and called out to them.

“Ah, this must be the Mrs?” the vet said, holding out his hand to Shin-ae.

“Oh She-”

“Yes, that’s me. Shin-ae,” Shin-ae cut off Dieter, who had tried to explain that no, they were not married and that Lil’ Buddy was actually her cat. His face flushed at the thought of her becoming Mrs. Becker-Wulff, but he pushed that fantasy out of his mind until a later date. Now was not the time.

“Good to meet you,” the vet greeted, “I’ll take you back to see him now and we can discuss our plan of action.” Dieter and Shin-ae followed him back to a stark room that smelled of sterilization products and...a barn? That was the best description Dieter could think of. He didn’t mind, though. Dieter loved animals. He was more worried about Shin-ae with how smells have affected her during pregnancy.

Lil’ Buddy was laying in a pile of towels on the examination table and Shin-ae immediately rushed to him and stuck her face in his fur. Dieter sat in one of the chairs next to the table and the vet stood behind the counter to explain what had happened.

“Lil’ Buddy’s leg is broken in three places and will need surgery. We believe he was hit by a car and was unable to eat or fend for himself for about a week now.” While the vet showed them the x-rays, Shin-ae cried as she pet him and listened to the vet continue, “But the good news is Lil’ Buddy will ultimately be fine. We will need to keep him overnight in preparation for his surgery tomorrow as well as two or three days after the surgery, that way we can get him hydrated and monitor him.”

“How much will this cost?” a tear-stained Shin-ae asked.

“Here is a breakdown of the costs,” the vet set a piece of paper down on the table in front of Shin-ae and she clasped a hand to her mouth. She was silent and in shock. Dieter got up from his seat to look over Shin-ae’s shoulder at the bill. His eyes were immediately drawn to the total, which was  ₩ 8,909,925. Dieter’s heart sank. This would clear out his savings almost entirely and Shin-ae was almost halfway through her pregnancy. He rested his large hands on both of her shoulders and messaged slightly.

“Shin-ae I can handle this,” he muttered. She turned to face him and looked up at him with concern and shock.

“There’s no way you-”

“Yes, I do. It’s essentially all I have, but it’s worth it.”

“No,” she said, shaking her head, “I can’t let you do that. I’d feel so guilty,” her voice trailed off as he lifted her hands to his mouth and kissed them.

“Yes,” he said his face just inches from hers, “You can and will let me do this. We’re a family now and I  _ will _ take care of my family.” Blush crept up Shin-ae’s face as tears slid down her face. The realization that there was another person in the room with them hit her and she quickly wiped her tears and turned to face the vet, bowing slightly.

“Ah, sorry, “she apologized and rested a hand over her belly. Dieter noticed she had started doing this more and he thought it was adorable, “I’m just overwhelmed with all of this.”

“No need to apologize,” the vet said empathetically, “Money is a very touchy subject and most people who come in here struggle with money. We can always work out a payment plan with you two if you find you can’t pay the bill in full at the time it’s due.”

“We will look into that, thank you,” Dieter said. He might take them up on that offer, in case another emergency arose. Shin-ae entwined their fingers together once more. He had failed her by putting her in this situation, but he was determined to make up for his error. He had been spiraling before she arrived tonight, dreading what their future would bring, but once he saw her and heard her voice, he was able to crawl his way out of that dark void he had fallen into. 

The vet continued his explanations of what they would be doing during surgery and how the aftercare would go. He explained that they would need to bring Lil’ Buddy in once every two weeks for evaluation and x-rays. When the vet finished speaking with them he exited the room to grab some paperwork and Shin-ae quickly pressed her body against Dieter’s and wrapped her arms around him. Her lips crashed into his hungrily and his hands traveled down her waist and hips, which seemed wider than the last time he had explored her body. After a few moments, Shin-ae broke the kiss and rested her forehead on his, staring into his eyes seriously.

“We’re discussing this more when we get home,” She said in a firm, almost harsh tone. By context, he knew she was talking about discussing money and the vet bill, but something told him discussions were not the only form of communication they would be partaking in tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for the comments and kudos you guys! Love you all and I hope everyone is safe. Next Update will most likely be Sunday.


	25. Chapter 25: Progress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise!

Shin-ae’s hand was clasped firmly in Dieter’s on the way home from the animal hospital. Every once in a while when their hands started to slip away, Shin-ae would tighten her grip on his and smile to herself. Dieter felt like it was her way of saying, “I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

She also glanced at him every few minutes and gave him small smiles and inquisitive looks. She could probably sense that something was wrong or different with him, just like he could sense that something was different with her. She seemed happier than normal and he of course loved that she was happy, but he wanted to know why. What was on her mind? Dieter took a breath and licked his lips nervously.

“So...you seem...happy,” he said sneaking a glance at her face. The way the city lights reflected off of her eyes was mesmerizing and made him want to hold his gaze, but obviously he couldn’t. There was a beat while he waited for her to say something and when she didn’t he continued, “I take it you had a good day?”.

“Yeah, actually,” Shin-ae said, mindlessly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear with her free hand, “I had a very good day with your family. I’m really excited to spend more time with them in the future.” Dieter’s heart did a little summersault in his chest. She was seeing a future with him and his family.  _ Their  _ family.

“That’s good,” he said giving her a nervous smile, “What did you three do today?”

“We got ice cream and pizza and shopped. But that’s not why it was good. I think…” There was a pause while she pieced together her thoughts, “I think I’m starting to feel excited about this. I wasn’t before because I was scared, but now… I don’t know. Now I feel good.” Dieter’s heart rate increased and he swallowed hard. He could tell this had been really hard on her and he could tell she had been terrified. It made him feel ecstatic that she was starting to feel the same way he had been feeling. He ran his thumb over her knuckles and an affirming gesture.

“That’s so great. I’m really happy to hear that,” he said with honesty, but the happiness didn’t reach his tone. She took notice of this and gave him a fearful look.

“Why don’t you sound happy, then?”

“I’m scared, I think,” Dieter said glancing over at her with wide, blue eyes, “What if I’m not cut out for this? What if I don’t do the right thing and fuck Nugget up in the process because I’m a terrible father?”

“Dieter, hey, whoa, where is this coming from?” Shin-ae asked shakily. Dieter let out an exasperated sigh.

“I can’t even keep you calm. I can’t make all of your worries disappear. I’m worthless. All I do is screw everything up-”

“Stop it!” Shin-ae yelled, snapping him out of his panic. He looked at her, mouth open in surprise, “You are not worthless. You are the most precious thing in my life. You have only improved my life since I met you” She turned her body towards him slightly, “You know why I’m feeling good about this now?”

“No,” Dieter said in a small voice.

“Do you  _ want _ to know?”

“Yes of course I do,” He said and tightened his grip on the steering wheel. He wasn’t entirely sure why he was so nervous about what she was about to say. He had been bracing himself for the impact of her calling things off between the two of them. He had mentally prepared for her to decide that today had been too much. She had to spend time with his family today and then come home to an injured cat all while being pregnant, which was its own miserable experience. All of these events were because of his doing and he wouldn’t blame her if she was ready to be done with it all. But she was feeling good and of course, he wanted to know why.

“I haven’t had a proper family since I was young; very young. It’s been my dad and me for a long time and it wasn’t until today that I realized...” her voice trailed off shakily and a tear slid down her cheek. She hastily wiped it away and continued, “I realized how desperately I’ve wanted a family. Maybe not one of my own just yet, but I’ve wanted to be a part of a  _ real _ family. I didn’t have that until you. And yeah, I’m still scared to have a baby, but now that I’ve realized that this means I will have my own family and be a part of a whole family…” Shin-ae sniffled and covered her mouth with her hand.

Dieter pulled into their designated parking spot and stopped the car. They had arrived at the perfect time. He leaned over and grabbed her, pulling her into a hug. His body jammed into his gear shifter and felt like it was bruising his Kidney or something, but he didn’t care. He needed to hold Shin-ae. And he did, while she cried into his arm that held her close to his warm body.

“I feel so whole with you,” she gasped in between sobs, “Like there has just been this gaping hole in me my entire life and you may not be filling it, but you’re helping me put the pieces back together to fill the hole properly. You’ve done so much for me and I’m now starting to feel safe and like my life is coming together.” Dieter gave her soft shushes and kissed her head repeatedly, trying anything to calm her.

“I am so insanely happy that you feel that way, Shin-ae. I was so scared that you were ready to be done with this whole arrangement. Or that maybe you were just putting up with it. I am so so  _ so _ very sorry for doubting you. And I’m so sorry about my mood today.”

“You don’t have anything to be sorry for. I know what it’s like to be anxious about this. I’ll be here with you while you deal with it, just like you did for me,” Shin-ae sniffled and held on to him tightly, hoping he wasn’t planning on moving away. She loved being close to him and breathing in his scent. 

After Shin-ae had calmed down they made their way up to the apartment. Dieter remembered that she had wanted to talk about the payment for Lil’ Buddy’s medical expenses, but now he wasn’t so sure if she still wanted to discuss that. He didn’t think it was really necessary, he already told her he would pay for it. As if reading his mind, Shin-ae turned to him while in the kitchen. She grabbed a glass from the cupboard and ran it under the tap water.

“So, about Lil’ Buddy’s payment,” She took a few gulps of water, “I can pay for some of it. You don’t need to pay for all of it.”

“If you insist,” Dieter shrugged, “I don’t want this to start an argument. I just want you to know that I am fully willing to pay for it.” A thought suddenly dawned on Dieter and he was unsure of how to bring it up. He awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck and smiled at Shin-ae nervously, “Should we...get a joint bank account?”

“Uhhh,” Shin-ae looked back at him wide-eyed, “I’m not sur-”

“We don’t have to, of course,” Dieter said a little too loudly and held up his hands in panic. A smile cracked on Shin-ae’s face as she watched him flounder which made Dieter blush, “I just thought maybe it would be a good idea now that we’re paying for things together.”

“Maybe?” Shin-ae said unsurely, “Could we maybe talk about that later?”

“Yeah of course! I’m sorry, I didn’t know how to bring it up. It just occurred to me at that moment. Did I make you uncomfortable?” Shin-ae blushed slightly and moved to close the gap in between them.

“Don’t worry about it. I understand…” She said, looking away from him,” You didn’t make me upset. I umm,” her voice trailed off and Dieter immediately recognized the look on her face. The way her cheekbones flushed while she bit her lip and looked up at him nervously. She was turned on?

“Are you...” he stammered and she nodded, “Even after the car ride…” She licked her lips and Dieter’s cock twitched while he looked at her plump lips, “But you were just crying?”

“Yeah, I know,” Shin-ae said in an embarrassed tone, “I don’t know...these hormones and being around you and the way you take charge…”

“Don’t you still want to talk about Lil’ Buddy’s stuff?” Dieter asked, starting to get excited. Shin-ae’s pregnancy hormones were so confusing, but god damn did he love how much her libido had spiked during the second trimester. Shin-ae shook her head and started kissing and nibbling at his collarbone.

“Later, please,” She said with finality and that was enough permission for Dieter. He scooped her up bridal style and carried her to the bedroom. He could tell tonight’s session was going to be different from how emotionally driven they had been all evening. Shin-ae moaned into his mouth as his tongue explored hers, “I’ve wanted this all evening.”

“We were literally just in an animal hospital, why would that make you want this?” Dieter asked as he set her on the bed gently and started unbuttoning his pants.

“Once I found out Lil’ Buddy was safe, I just...I don’t know I just wanted you, okay?” She started removing her shirt and bra and Dieter, who was now fully undressed, advanced forward. He kissed up and down her chest and ran his thumbs over her nipples, which elicited excited moans from Shin-ae as she struggled to get the rest of her clothes off.

“Works for me,” Dieter responded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, next chapter will probably be uploaded Monday, unless I finish it all tomorrow.
> 
> When I deleted my update, it also deleted the comments attached to it (Duh, I'm an idiot for not realizing that would happen) so I wasn't able to respond to the comments. Sorry! 
> 
> Fire Update: Still not contained, but it looks like it hasn't moved much. We're supposed to get rain this upcoming week so that's good.
> 
> I was about 10 chapters behind on the webtoon Not Even Bones and so I got caught up on it this week. I finally decided that I needed to read the books so I binge-read the entire first book and now I'm on the sequel and ohhhhh my gosh it's soooooo gooooood. There is hardly a fan base for it which is so surprising to me, but I kinda get it with how dark it is.
> 
> Anyways, hope everyone is well and safe!


	26. Chapter 26: Anatomy Scan

Dieter sat next to Shin-ae in the dark medical office, lit only by the ultrasound monitor, his mind drifting to how much life had changed in the span of just two weeks. His mood had been increasing slightly every day and that was mostly thanks to Shin-ae’s change of heart. She was feeling, dare he say, good about their future. She had started looking up baby products and reading baby forums. It was fairly weird for Dieter to see this sudden change but in a good way. He liked it and it certainly helped with his recent anxiety.

He’d be lying if he said the increase in sex hadn’t helped, even just a little. Dieter doted on her at any given time whenever she asked. He had not felt like himself since the family dinner, but being with Shin-ae helped ground him and bring him back to reality. Dieter had always struggled slightly with anxiety and self-doubt. He hated admitting it, but he had a tendency to be squeamish, more-so in social settings than in any other situation. But when Shin-ae was around, when she would take his face in her hands and brush her thumb across his lips before moving in for the kiss, that brought Dieter back to himself. 

Lately, he had felt like he was moving around, watching his body from an outsider’s point of view, kind of like a video game. He would watch himself go about his day to day life: Judo in the mornings, come home and shower, stream, and then spend his evenings with Shin-ae when she returned from work. But apparently this part of him that was no longer completely connected to his body hated missing out on Shin-ae’s touches, because when she would hold him, he was right back in his own mind and fully aware of everything around him. He didn’t zero in on his feelings of inadequacy. 

Shin-ae was no stranger to these feelings of dread. She could tell he was struggling. One night when she came home, she walked into the kitchen to find two whole cases of energy drinks finished off by Dieter and Soushi. When Soushi left she thought she was going to need to take Dieter to the hospital from how twitchy he was. She thought he was going to overdose on caffeine or something and asked him not to do that again. He felt bad for worrying her and explained that he hadn’t slept the last two nights in a row and just got carried away with the energy drinks to stay awake. She noticed how he was spending more time creating videos and streaming and at first, she didn’t understand why. She figured out fairly quickly, though, that he was trying to build up his savings again by putting out more content. That meant he was also on social media throughout the entire day and night, replying to comments and messages from fans. He was actually relieved when she told him last night that she wanted him to take a break from social media and gaming for an entire week.

He was starting to learn that Shin-ae showed love through nurture. She was a lot more like her father than he thought she realized. She liked making sure he was okay and doing little things for him like folding his clothes and making him coffee in the morning. It reminded him of the time she had sneakily bought Yeong-Gi cold medicine and antibiotic cream after her house had been broken into. We were the ones worrying about her, but she worried about us just as much. It reminded him of why he fell in this with her in the first place, and why he developed such strong feelings for her back when Min-Hyuk was trying to get him to join the TKD team. He knew next to nothing about her, but what he did know was that she cared for the people she loved, and that drew her to him.

“Oh, the baby is kicking. Can you feel that?” the OBGYN asked Shin-ae. Shin-ae giggled and nodded, eyes still glued to the screen.

“Nugget has been kicking a lot,” Dieter chimed in drifting into another train of thought. He vividly remembered just two nights ago, when they felt nugget kicking. Really kicking, not just “...fluttering”.

Dieter and Shin-ae were watching some lame horror movie. Dieter was laying across the couch and Shin-ae draped herself on top of him, cradled in between his legs. He was combing through her hair peacefully while she hummed her contentment and watched the movie. He offered to hold her hand for when she got scared, but she insisted she didn’t need it. He was particularly focused on a lock of her hair that tended to stick out slightly instead of lay against her head like her other smooth strands. He had been stroking it, willing for it to lie flat, and watched it spring back to its cattywampus position, when Shin-ae gasped, grabbing his hand suddenly. He smiled and cocked his head thinking she had grabbed it out of fear due to the jump scare that had taken place at that moment.

“I thought you didn’t need my hand-” he started to say but cut himself off. Shin-ae had yanked his hand and pressed it to her stomach, slightly off the one side. That’s when he felt the thumping. It was so distinctively a kick and gave him an almost nauseous feeling. He struggled for just a split second on whether he wanted to yank his hand away from the creepy feeling or keep it there out of wonderment. He didn’t move and Shin-ae looked up at him with a wide grin.

“This is the first time I’ve felt the kicks!” she exclaimed in a hysterical tone, “Or felt any movement at all.” Dieter sat there, shock and confusion etching across his face. When the kicking stopped just barely three seconds later, he had to force himself to pull his hand away, missing the feeling already. He was completely enamored in that moment. His heart swelled with emotion, similar to the emotion he felt at the first ultrasound, but this time a little more numb. Everything was more numb at the moment. He dove on Shin-ae, kissing all over her face and the top of her head, both of them giggling. 

It felt like this weird depressive, anxious state was an eggshell that coated him. Certain things were really good and putting little cracks in the shell, like Shin-ae’s touch and comfort. But feeling nugget kick for the first time actually chipped away at the shell that engulfed him. He had felt so much lighter since that night. He was smiling more and felt more like himself. He also couldn’t keep his hands off Shin-ae’s bump, wanting to fell every kick and fidget.

“Are you ready to find out the gender?” Dieter’s memory halted and his heartbeat pounded in his ears. His head shot up to the doctor’s face and Shin-ae turned to him with an excited, expectant look. The doctor continued, “Or are we holding off on that for now?”

Dieter’s throat felt tight and he gulped. He and Shin-ae had talked about this. They would be happy either way, and that was true. The anticipation was so raw, though. Before it was just a fleeting thought, now it held so much weight for some reason. His chest constricted and his eyebrows knitted together. He couldn’t breathe, or think, or talk.

“Yeah, we want to know,” Shin-ae said softly turning back to the screen. It was then that Dieter remembered he had been holding Shin-ae’s hand because she squeezed it with excitement and his heart fluttered. She was adorable.

“Alright, you two are having a girl!” The doctor said. Dieter’s heart halted from the relief. Finally, Dieter could really picture who his child was going to potentially be. He imagined her nursery adorned in pink, although he knew logically that Shin-ae would never allow that. He imagined her with wavy brown hair and bright red eyes, looking just like Shin-ae. A daughter; he was going to have a daughter.

A smiled crossed Dieter’s face and his eyes met Shin-ae’s as she turned to look at him. He expected her to be tearing up or crying, given her reactions lately combined with hormones, but she wasn’t. She had this look on her face like it was still hitting her. She was probably doing the same thing Dieter was; picturing the future with a little girl. She finally smiled, and it was like a bright, warm light shone on Dieter’s face.

\- - - -

Dieter watched as Shin-ae talked with all of their friends in the living room. They had invited everyone over to celebrate the news which prompted Maya and Rika to bring pink cupcakes and pink balloons over to adorn their living space. That was alright with Dieter, he loved that everyone was excited about this.

Dieter drank a soda with Soushi in the kitchen, away from the crowd. He watched as Min-Hyuk and Yeong-Gi teased Shin-ae about various things and got her all fired up. He listened to the melodious sound of her laughter and his stomach twisted with the emotions he felt for her. He thought he couldn’t be more in love with her, but tonight had proved him wrong.

“Hey, mate,” Soushi turned to Dieter, “You seem to be feeling a lot better. You were pretty upset when you had to take that demon cat to the vet and you had seemed pretty down since. Do you want to talk about it?”

“Nah,” Dieter said smiling and taking a sip of soda, “I was just in a weird rut for a while.”

“Are you going to be okay? You seem like you’re doing good tonight,” Soushi asked and Dieter thought for a second. He realized that the eggshell that had overtaken him, had completely broken apart today. At that moment he finally knew that things were going to be okay.

“Yeah,” he said with a crooked smile and a nod, “We will be great.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So a few questions for you guys:
> 
> 1) Baby names! I need ideas, please!
> 
> 2) Do you guys like switching between Dieter and Shin-ae? Or would you like to see the story focus more on one character's POV.
> 
> 3) How do you feel about lemon chapters?
> 
> I'll hopefully have the next chapter up by Thursday. See you all then!


	27. Chapter 27: A New Dawn

Shin-ae woke up the next morning to a warm ball of fur laying on her chest and the smell of breakfast wafting into her room. She opened her eyes and smiled up at Lil’ Buddy, before realizing how badly she had to pee...again. She quickly removed her cat and tried to sit up. It was becoming increasingly hard to do anything that involved movement during pregnancy. When she finally got out of bed, she quickly ran to the bathroom, spotting Dieter removing food from a paper bag on the kitchen counter. Her mouth watered at the smell.

“Good morning,” Dieter said when Shin-ae finished in the bathroom and walked out. He put both of his hands on her tummy and kissed her cheek, “How are my girls doing?”

“We’re good,” Shin-ae said before capturing his lips. They tasted salty, and she realized he must have picked up food on his way back from Judo. She could smell his familiar pheromones mixed with sweat and tried to quell the familiar ache in her lower belly. She did  _ not _ have time for sex this morning, “We’re very hungry. What did you get?” Shin-ae craned her head around him and he let out a laugh.

“I got breakfast burritos. There was a stand outside of my dojo this morning, and I wanted to surprise you with something more exciting than eggs and toast,” Shin-ae gave him a huge, thankful smile before twisting around him and rushing to the counter. She ripped open the aluminum wrapping and dove in.

“Did you sleep well?” Shin-ae tried to say with a mouthful of food.

“Yeah,” Dieter said unwrapping his own burrito, “I slept better than I have in a while. I had so much energy this morning when I woke up.”

“That’s great!” Shin-ae paused and watched him for a moment before delicately continuing, “It seems like you’re doing better?”

“How so?”

“I just mean you’ve been pretty down lately,” She said gently. Dieter sighed and looked at her with a sad smile.

“I’m so sorry about my mood lately-”

“No, Dieter, you don’t need to be sorry.” Shin-ae rested her head on his muscular shoulder, trying to give him some form of comfort without using her hands since they were holding the massive burrito. 

“Thank you,” Dieter leaned down and kissed the top of her head, “I had been feeling...inadequate? If that’s even the right word?” He paused and waited for a response from Shin-ae before carrying on, “I’ve felt so...numb. Like I was trying so hard to feel sad or happy or anxious. I felt all of those things, but it was like there was a glass wall in between my conscious self and my emotional self. I’ve never experienced anything like that before.”

“It sounds like you were depressed,” Shin-ae said, still keeping her tone soft. She could see how much clearer his eyes had been since their appointment. She knew he was feeling back to his normal self, but this was important. She needed him to know that.

“No,” He said, in a nonchalant tone, “That can’t be it. Depression is like…” What was depression like? It was pure sadness, right? The ultimate feeling of gloom. Not what he was feeling, right? When he didn’t finish his thought, Shin-ae cautiously continued.

“I think it is. What you described is exactly how most people describe depression. Or that’s how a lot of people feel while they’re depressed. Unfortunately, depression has different, um, flavors. And you can feel all of these flavors at any given time.” 

“Flavors?” Dieter chuckled.

“You know what I mean. I don’t know how to explain it any better.”

“Your food analogies always impress me, Shin-ae.”

“What a compliment,” Shin-ae said in a sarcastic tone. She looked up at Dieter and saw pure devotion on his face and her heart melted. She let her eyes linger on his icy blue orbs for a few moments before trying to regain her thoughts, “Anyways, I don’t want you to feel bad if you’re feeling depressed. It’s okay to be sad or scared. This is kind of a scary time in our lives.”

“Yeah, but I should be comforting you, not the other way around.”

“Why not the other way around?” Shin-ae questioned.

“Because you’re the one who’s actually going through this, not me. Like physically your body is changing. The worst I have to deal with is listening to you get up 40 times a night to go to the bathroom.” Dieter looked away and Shin-ae smiled at him. She grabbed his face gently and pulled it back to look at her.

“You and I both know that’s not true. Yeah, I have to go through this physically, but I know there are stressors for you as well. It’s actually somewhat comforting to know that you are stressed sometimes because that means you’re taking this seriously.”

“I guess,” Dieter gave her a half-hearted smile, “I just want to be your stress release. I hate having you worry about me” He closed his eyes and wrapped his hands around her wrist. Shin-ae smiled as he kissed her palms before letting them drop to her sides.

“Well, no matter what, I’m always going to worry about you. Even when you’re doing great, I wonder what’s going through your head or what you’re up to,” Shin-ae said. She smiled as she saw his face flush and she could _really_ tell that he was doing better now. She looked over at the clock that was connected to their oven and sighed. She wanted to spend more time with him, but she had to start getting ready for work.

“Thank you Shin-ae,” Dieter said just above a whisper and rested his forehead on hers.

\- - - -

Shin-ae ended up getting a ride to work from Dieter. They had talked about walking together since their place was only about a 15-minute walk, but the second Shin-ae stepped out of the airconditioned building into the summer heat, she stepped right back inside. Aside from the random bouts of nausea that plagued her, this was the worst part of pregnancy so far. It felt like her body heat was 15 degrees hotter than normal. Her doctor had said yesterday that it had something to do with the extra blood running through her and elevated hormone levels, but Shin-ae was too frustrated to listen and pay attention to the doctor's answer. She just had to deal with it until summer was over.

Sitting in the car with the AC blasting on her face was the perfect way to spend her time before work, anyways. From the corner of her eyes, she could see Dieter shiver every once in a while, but he never asked to turn the temperature up. He knew how miserable the heat was for her and she hated sweating after just having taken a shower. 

Shin-ae’s day at work was uneventful until after her meeting around one. She had been making copies of graphs and charts for Kousuke’s 4 o’clock meeting when her mood plummeted. She had been so happy, with Dieter feeling better and now knowing her baby was a girl. Much of her time at work today was spent thinking about how much better of a mom she would be to her daughter than her own mother. She knew the importance of a motherly figure for an adolescent girl and she felt much more confident in her abilities to be that figure. With Dieter’s mom's support and her own experiences growing up, she knew she was capable. It made her somewhat thankful as well that she was having a girl and not a boy. Of course, she would have loved Nugget if she was a boy, but there was something so calming about Nugget being a girl. Maybe just being able to relate to her daughter better made it easier? She wasn’t entirely sure.

What she was certain of, though, was that she did not enjoy seeing Mrs. Hirahara at the office, especially on a good day like today. She heard the woman call her name and before she had even turned around to confirm who said it, the hairs on the back of her neck rose. Her hands became clammy and her knees started to shake ever so slightly. Her pulse elevated and her hand came up and rested on her bump instinctually, giving the allusion of protection to her precious cargo.

“I hoped I would see you today,” Yui said cheerfully. But when Shin-ae turned to her, Yui’s demeanor became icy. Shock and disgust shone brightly in her eyes, but the mask she wore for the outer world stayed cheery and welcoming. It was not something Shin-ae enjoyed about this woman. You could never tell exactly how she felt about you and that scared Shin-ae.

“H-hello, Mrs. Hirahara,” Shin-ae squeaked.

“What’s this?” Yui said with a maniacal tone. It was deep and threatening but light and welcoming at the same time, “Deary I didn’t know you were expecting.”

“Yes,” Shin-ae said, eye wide and legs pumping with adrenaline, anticipating having to run away from the danger in front of her.

“You look to be fairly far along! I’d say...28 weeks, give or take?” Shin-ae squinted.

“I’m 16, almost 17 weeks.”

“My, my,” Yui said, condescendingly, “I never expected such a  _ nice _ girl would get herself into this kind of situation. You poor thing. How are you holding up?” Shin-ae didn’t know how much she wanted to tell this woman. The last time she started to get close to her, Shin-ae ended up being drugged and concussed.

“I’ve been holding up pretty good. The heat sucks, and my first trimester I lost almost 15 pounds because I couldn’t stop puking. It’s been better for the most part, but I still get very random sudden nausea spells.”

“Ah yes, that’s very normal. I remember that well. I’m surprised you haven’t gotten your glow yet. I was the epitome of beauty during pregnancy. You look exhausted and you’re much bigger than I was at this stage,” Yui lowered her voice and gave a threatening smile, “How cute.”

“Yeah, my doctor says it has to do with me being as small as I am,” Shin-ae said, suppressing a shiver. Yui hummed and flipped her hair behind her shoulder. She closed the door to the printing room, trapping Shin-ae in there, and leaned against it.

“Shin-ae, we are a very professional company. We don’t condone this kind of behavior. Did you really think this was okay when you’re not even married?” Yui took on a more menacing tone.

“Are you saying this behavior would have been better received if I had been married?” Shin-ae asked. She was annoyed and didn’t like being lectured by this witch.

“I mean,” Yui gave her an innocent look, “I  _ did _ offer you my son’s hand. You could have taken it. 16 weeks ago was well after your 18th birthday if I do recall correctly. If you were so anxious to start having s-”

“This had nothing to do with my desires,” Shin-ae blurted out, face flushing, “And I don’t _want_ to marry your son. I do, however, see myself possibly marrying my boyfriend someday.” Yui gave Shin-ae a sneer.

“And who exactly is this boy?”

“Do I  _ have  _ to tell you that? I don’t think that’s really any of your business,” Shin-ae shot back venomously. She was starting to feel angry.

“Well you certainly didn’t need to be rude,” Yui said shortly, “I was just asking. I’m only concerned for your well being.”

“Of course,” Shin-ae said, trying to lighten her tone. When she didn’t continue, Yui sighed and opened the door to the printer room.

“Well, I’ll find out someday. Maybe I’ll meet him at the company party next month. I just want to remind you that you should be more cautious of your actions when you are out of contract with a company. You never know when they could let you go and then what would you do? You’d have to go back to working fast food.” 

Yui walked out of the copy room and Shin-ae let out a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding in. Yui didn’t know that she signed another contract.  _ Would she try and get me fired? _ Shin-ae turned back to her copying and started on another stack of papers, her mood substantially worse than it had been before facing Lady Satan. Thoughts ran rampant in Shin-ae’s head. She wondered what Yui would try and do and why she cared to find out who the father was.  _ Why did she care about what I do, anyway? It’s not like I work directly with her...  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo I got the chapter done early. I hope you guys like this chapter. I know the last few chapters were kind of sad, so hopefully this was more enjoyable. I have been getting ideas here and there with my boyfriend's help and tonight he gave me such a good idea, that I actually completely reworked the roadmap that I have for this story. So I'm pretty excited for future chapters.
> 
> Speaking of future chapters, next chapter is actually going to take place from Yeong-Gi's point of view at a Hirahara dinner. This is the only chapter that will be from someone other than Shin-ae or Dieter's POV, so I hope you guys are okay with that.
> 
> Also, the sky completely cleared up tonight! The air quality is at 198 at the moment, which is technically still bad, but it's better than the 700 it was just a few nights ago. We can also see rain clouds, so hopefully we get some major rain!
> 
> Next chapter will probably not be ready until Saturday night, but I will attempt to finish it earlier than that. Hope everyone is doing well!


	28. Chapter 28: Dinner

“Hey, Dieter what’s up?” Yeong-Gi was on his way into his dad’s house when he got a call from Dieter. He stepped aside from the front steps to take the call, mentally thanking Dieter for giving him a reason to delay walking into the soon-to-be shit show that he knew was about to happen.

“Yeong-Gi!” Dieter said enthusiastically, “Soushi is coming over to play some games and we were going to stream. I wanted to know if you wanted to come over as well? You don’t have to be a part of the stream if you don’t want to be.”

“Shit,” Yeong-Gi muttered, disappointed he had to miss another game night. This was the third time this summer that he had to miss out because of family, “I would love to come over, but I have another family dinner thing.”

“Oh…”

“I know it sounds like I’m trying to avoid you guys,” Yeong-Gi groaned, “I promise that isn’t the case. I seriously have had family BS to attend every single time you and Soushi want to have game night.”

“Don’t worry, I get it,” Dieter sounded cheerful, and he wasn’t one to be passive-aggressive or upset about these kinds of situations. Yeong-Gi hoped that was still the case. He truly did feel bad.

“Hey, let’s plan for another time this week. Maybe Sunday?”

“Yeah, that sounds great! Shin-ae is going to be bummed that you can’t come over tonight, but she’ll be happier once I tell her about Sunday.”

“Why would Shin-ae be bummed out if I can’t make it tonight?” Yeong-Gi asked.

“Well, you’re her friend. She like’s seeing you and hanging out with you…” It really  _ had _ been a while since she and him had spent time together. Maybe he should text her and see if she wants to get lunch tomorrow or next week.

“Yeah, I guess so. Sometimes I forget that she actually likes hanging out. Well anyways, I wish I could sit out here and talk to you for the rest of the night. Better yet, I wish I could just come over,” Yeong-Gi glanced up at the daunting house, dreading having to go inside, “But I’ve gotta get going.”

“Okay, well if you finish dinner and still want to come over, you’re always welcome.”

Yeong-Gi walked in the door to an empty foyer. He could smell dinner being prepared and he could also hear Yui and Kousuke talking in one of the offices nearby. Yeong-Gi started to remove his shoes when a phrase uttered by Kousuke caught his attention. He quietly walked toward the sound, hoping no one would catch him eavesdropping. After a few moments, he decided to get out his phone and look at it, so he didn’t look suspicious just standing there.

“So what if I had her sign a new contract? Why does that matter?”

“Because, if you hadn’t had her sign a new one already, you could have...persuaded her to do what you want.”

“That seems highly unprofessional, mother. What was I to do in a situation like that? Tell her, ‘Oh you can either marry me and stay with the company or I’ll fire you.’ I doubt she would have been interested in that.”

“No, you stupid boy. You wouldn’t have said anything like that. But yes, that would have been the ideal outcome. Now you have no upper hand with her. Don’t worry though, timing is your best friend in this case. An opportunity will arise, and I will help you get what you want.” Yeong-Gi could not believe what he was hearing. He thought Kousuke had something for Shin-ae but he had never admitted it. Yeong-Gi never thought he  _ would _ admit it, either. He had assumed that Kousuke would eventually just get over her and move to Japan. Is this why he had stayed in Korea for so long even after getting that promotion?

Yeong-Gi also doubted the legitimacy of Kousuke’s feelings for Shin-ae. He didn’t even think Kousuke was capable of such feelings. In Yeong-Gi’s eyes, it was safe to assume that Kousuke’s feelings he had for Shin-ae were comparable to a business arrangement. He liked the idea of being with Shin-ae because he benefitted from the relationship somehow. The question was, what did he benefit from Shin-ae that he didn’t with any other girl?

Why did Yui care so much that Shin-ae signed another contract? She wouldn’t have easily been manipulated, anyways, with her and Dieter being together now, not that Yui knew about that. Why was Yui trying to set Kousuke up with Shin-ae? There were many questions running through Yeong-Gi’s head, but he didn’t have time to think about them right now.

Suddenly, the door to the study opened, and out came Kousuke and Yui glaring at each other. Their attention shifted to Yeong-Gi and while Kousuke’s sneer held, Yui’s expression changed into something sinister. She gave Yeong-Gi a shark-like smile, and walked towards him, causing Yeong-Gi to flinch.

“Nol, good to see you. How have you been? I didn’t see you at work today.” She was at work today. Maybe this is how she found out about Shin-ae signing another contract?

“Erm, I’ve been good. I didn’t know you were going to be in the office today.”

“Yes, I’m getting some things ready for responsibility transfers. Kousuke will be in Japan soon, and that will require us to find his replacement.” Yui was speaking, but Yeong-Gi could tell that she had something else on her mind. She was good at that; preparing her attack while also distracting others with petty conversation. Yeong-Gi was good at seeing through her, though, “Anyways, you need not worry about that. Let’s go eat.”

The three of them walked into the dining room and sat in their normal spaces, Yeong-Gi sitting as far away as possible. He was ready to push his chair away if Yui decided to throw piping hot soup at his face or dodge out of rang from flying knives, all of which he did not believe she was incapable of. She was pure evil, as far as Yeong-Gi was concerned.

Rand walked in and sat at the head, making small conversation while everyone ate. Yeong-Gi nibbled on his too-fancy food and wished he could be eating wings and drinking energy drinks with Dieter, Soushi, and Shin-ae. He didn’t like this high-end food that the other Hiriharas always ate. He listened to Yui make small chat with Rand and Kousuke. She didn’t even glance at Yeong-Gi and he was fine with that. Suddenly she said something that caught his attention.

“So, I saw Miss Yoo today,” Yui said, her voice was calm and sweet, but just underneath the surface, there was an edge to it, “I think it is highly unprofessional how she has been handling adulthood so far.” Shit, she knew that Shin-ae was pregnant. Yeong-Gi balled his fists on his lap underneath the table, expecting this conversation to be even more uncomfortable now.

“Yui, her actions outside of work are not for us to worry about,” Rand said nonchalantly.

“That would be true if said actions didn’t affect the company, but they do. She is unwed and pregnant and represents our company. That is bad press for us.”

“She doesn’t represent our company,” Rand said, still not looking up from his plate. Sometimes Yeong-Gi wondered if his father was just as scared of Yui as he was, “She is an assistant for Kousuke. She doesn’t communicate with anyone outside of her department.”

“Well, how do you think it makes other workers feel, knowing they are working with someone so irresponsible?”

“Mother I doubt anyone pays enough attention to her to even feel anything towards her,” Kousuke said, clearly confused with where his mother was going with this. Yeong-Gi also wondered what she was trying to do and why she was making such a big deal of this.

“If I do recall correctly,” Rand said, finally looking up at his wife, “You worked while you were pregnant with Kousuke.”

“My pregnancy and Miss Yoo’s pregnancy are not comparable in the slightest,” She shot back venomously, “ _ She _ is a child. I was married and well into maturity.” Kousuke set his fork down and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Mother, I would appreciate it if we didn’t discuss Miss Yoo tonight.”

“Kousuke, if you didn’t want to discuss Miss Yoo carrying another man’s baby, you should have married her after her 18th birthday as I told you to.”

“Like you told him to?” Yeong-Gi couldn’t hold his tongue any longer. Not with them talking about his friend like this, “How are you so sure she would have married him?” Yui gave Yeong-Gi that toothy grin she gave him earlier. Apparently she was having fun with him now; playing with her food before eating it.

“Oh, it sounds like someone else isn’t happy about her being with another man, either. Tell me, why were  _ you _ waiting to make a move?”

“Actually I’m very happy for Shin-ae. What I’m not happy about is you trying to manipulate her into doing what  _ you _ want.”

“Don’t lie to me,” she spat, “I’ve watched you two get close. I always thought you would be to blame if Kousuke didn’t court her properly. Turns out, she had other suitors.”

“Two people can be close without having romantic feelings for each other. Shin-ae and I are just friends and I’m okay with that because her boyfriend is my best friend, and I’m happy that both of them are happy together.” Suddenly there was a clatter from Kousuke.

“Yes I’m sure you are happy for them,” Kousuke snapped, “You had been trying to set them up for months now. I’m sure it’s so rewarding to see your efforts come to fruition.”

“Enough,” Yeong-Gi slammed his hands on the table and rose quickly. He was done with this conversation. He was done with listening to this woman and her evil schemes. He was done with Kousuke moping around over a teenage girl. He pointed at Kousuke, “You need to back away from her. I don’t know what you see in her that you don’t see in girls  _ your age, _ but you need to take a good look at your priorities. Pinning after a teenage girl is not only a bad look for you, it’s highly disgusting. Don’t think I don’t know about how you fucking  _ groomed _ her”. He snapped his head at Yui, fire blazing in his eyes, “And  _ you! _ You vile woman and your manipulation. Clearly Kousuke comes from the same tree. You’ve really taught him well, but no one, not even your dear prodigy, will ever be the puppet master that you are. All you do is hurt people, and sometimes it’s not even for your own benefit.” Yeong-Gi started to walk away, not wanting to look at Yui any longer. She never stopped smiling at him, even when murderous desire flashed madly in her eyes.

“Yeong-Gi, Where are you going?!” Rand called out.

“Anywhere but here. I’m not hungry anymore.” As Yeong-Gi turned to exit the room, Yui called out, making him freeze and suddenly he could hear the blood pumping in his ears.

“I know where he’s going,” she said smoothly. “Say hello to Dieter and Shin-ae for me,” Yeong-Gi turned slowly towards her, his face growing pale.

“How did you...how did you know his name?”

“Oh dear boy,” she said maliciously, “I know all of your friends’ names. I know more about you than you give me credit for.” Yeong-Gi stayed where he was standing for a few more moments, his eyes never leaving Yui’s. Most people would think this shouldn’t bother him, but he knew what Yui was capable of. He knew she had no moral barriers that would keep her from accomplishing whatever she desired. Finally, he pulled his eyes away and spun on his heel. He needed to get out of there.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so first and foremost, I want you all to know that I don't hate Kousuke. I really like his character and I'm excited to see where Quim takes his arch. My fic is pretty harsh on him, I know, but I don't personally dislike him. I don't like how he treats Shin-ae, so that's kind of why I'm hard on him in this fic. Don't hate me, please.
> 
> Also, I'm really nervous about this chapter. I rewrote it a couple of times, but I don't feel like I did very well capturing Yeong-Gi's inner voice. So I'm sorry if it doesn't feel very authentic.
> 
> Also, it rained H A R D yesterday and the fires by my house are out. So I'll be back home tomorrow. I can't say that chapters will come sooner, though. I'm trying to pace myself well enough that I don't get burnt out. My goal is to have the next chapter posted on Monday in the evening (PT).
> 
> Hope everyone is doing well!


	29. Chapter 29: Bedroom Shenanigans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the chapter being a tad bit late. I was playing Planet Zoo and got carried away.

Shin-ae’s soft moans danced through the air as Dieter took care of the ache in between her legs. He was lapping at her heat and his hands drifted up towards her breasts to give them light squeezes. After much practice, he was able to message them without causing pain to Shin-ae. Her body had changed massively in the last seven weeks and her breasts were not exempt from these changes.

At 23 weeks, Shin-ae was starting to fill out her maternity clothes much better than before. There was no questioning at this point whether or not she was pregnant in the eyes of strangers. She had been mortified when she realized that she had developed a waddle, but Dieter assured her it was adorable. It was his favorite thing about her being pregnant, or at least that’s what he claimed. He also said that about pretty much every other detail pertaining to her pregnancy, so it was probably safe to say that he just admired her appearance during this time.

Dieter twirled his tongue around her clit and she sucked in a sharp breath. He was getting  _ very _ good at this. He knew when to pick up his pace and also when to make slower, softer movements. He paid a lot of attention to her body and how it received its pampering. His thumb made deliberate strokes round and around her pert nipples. Suddenly he pinched her nipple and sucked on her clit causing her to start panting. Sweat beaded on her forehead and she was shaking, about to come unraveled.

“Dieter...” Shin-ae whimpered, eliciting a rumbling moan from Dieter. The vibration sent electric waves of pleasure up Shin-ae’s spine and her back arched. One hand splayed on the bed and grasped the sheets and the other hand reached out and threaded through his flaxen strands of hair. Shin-ae looked down at him and see the tips of his ears were bright red. He had started to subconsciously thrust his hips, no doubt he was in need of the sweet release he was about to give Shin-ae. Shin-ae’s moans got louder and quicker, anticipating her orgasm and Dieter started quickening his pace.

Just as Shin-ae’s legs started shaking and the pressure in her center was ready to burst...Dieter stopped. Shin-ae’s head shot towards him and she stared at him, giving him an opportunity to explain why the  _ fuck _ he had stopped. Dieter stared back at her, mouth glistening with Shin-ae’s pleasure. His blue irises were almost completely covered by his pupils, wide from arousal. He panted and licked his lips, drinking in her beauty.

“You’re not playing fair…” he croaked.

“Not playing fair?” Shin-ae hissed, “What the hell?”

“You’re noisier than usual. Like you want something more,” his eyes flicked down to her heat and then back to her eyes. He took two fingers and gently dragged them up her slit, while his other hand grazed the inside of her thigh, causing another shiver to overtake Shin-ae, “You’re wetter than normal too. It would be a shame for that to go to waste.” Dieter nuzzled the tip of his nose against Shin-ae’s clit, never taking his pleading eyes off of hers.

Shin-ae yelped at the sudden contact to her clit once more, and Dieter twisted his body so that his pelvis grazed against Shin-ae’s legs. She brought her leg up and rubbed it against his naked body, making his cock twitch from the pressure. Dieter let out a low rumble and kissed his way up Shin-ae’s body. He got to her collarbone and nibbled, brazing her skin with his hot breath. His face moved up against hers and his stubble raked across her jaw, causing her skin to sport goosebumps. He kissed her ear and she whimpered again, her hips bucking slightly with impatience.

“Do you need something?” he whispered innocently into her ear. She groaned and clawed at his back. He was gently seated in between her legs, hovering just aboved the swell of her abdomen, “Tell me what you need,” he whispered.

“Dieter,” She groaned.

“Mmm I do  _ love _ hearing you say my name” he kissed along her jaw and nibbled on her earlobe, “But what I’d really like to hear from you is what you would like me to do to you.”

“Make me cum?” Shin-ae questioned breathlessly.

“Of course, but how?” Dieter whispered and continued to kiss slowly along her neck. He was doing just fine before he stopped, but now that he was toying with her arousal, she knew she needed more from him. Coming undone by his mouth was not nearly enough now. She needed the full-body experience. His mouth leaving hot kisses on her breasts. The sounds of his pleasure grazing her ears. His hot, twitching member messaging her from the inside.

“Dieter, please?”

“No need to be modest, Shin-ae. Just tell me,” he pulled back to stare into her eyes.

“Dieter, please. Just. Fuck. Me,” Shin-ae gasped and Dieter let out an excited laugh and leaned in.

“That’s my girl,” He whispered and suddenly lifted himself up wrapping his arms around the bend in Shin-ae’s lengs. He yanked her into him and entered her swiftly, shuddering at the sudden contact. Shin-ae gasped and a strangled moan escaped from deep within her. Dieter bit his lip and the corner of his mouth turned upwards as he watched her face flush and her breasts bounce and he thrusted.

After a few good pumps he slowed his pace and leaned back down to suck on her hardened nipples. She wrapped her legs around his waist and his hands dropped to grasp at her hips, his fingers digging into her flesh slightly. He loved the added softness that had come directly from him taking care of her and making sure she wasn’t going hungry.

Shin-ae’s hands ran up and down Dieter’s back and chest. The more he picked up the pace, the more she clawed, leaving red lines all along Dieter’s skin. Her lips started to get lonely from the lack of attention and so she pulled Dieter’s face to her, pressing soft kisses around his lips. Lightning shot through her body and her walls started to clamp down on Dieter’s member, causing him to increased his tempo again. His grunts turned into helpless moans as her body praised his efforts. Suddenly his movements became erratic and forceful and Shin-ae lost herself to his thrusts. Her entire body spasmed in an orgasm stronger than she had ever felt before. After moments of hot, white pleasure, Shin-ae’s heartbeat leveled out and she noticed Dieter had also ceased his thrusting. His orgasm stayed within her while he slowly removed himself, planting a kiss on Shin-ae’s lips as he shifted his body.

All Shin-ae could hear was his and her heartbeat in sinc as she laid herself on his chest. The world didn’t exist outside of this bedroom, for all Shin-ae cared. Her dazed state left her completely satiated and she wanted nothing more than to just lay with her man as he stroked her hair, probably not even realizing he was doing so. He seemed to be just as dazed as her.

She knew they needed to get ready soon. Tonight was Min-Hyuk’s going away party. Tomorrow he left for America for his Sophomore year of college and she was going to miss him immensely. Last year she had cried, but had managed to hide it fairly well from everyone else. This year she knew she was doomed. Her stomach started to rumble and she realized she was getting hungry again. Nugget was ready for the party, or more likely ready to eat. But Shin-ae, for the first time probably ever, was not ready to go eat. She just wanted to lay here and enjoy this time she spent with Dieter. Apparently Dieter heard her stomach as well because he chuckled lightly and lowered his hand to her belly and let it rest there. They would get up soon, but right now they were going to stay like this for as long as they could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was supposed to be real plot, but I got...inspired haha. Hope it was enjoyable for the rest of you.
> 
> Next chapter should be ready by Thursday :)


	30. Chapter 30: Travel Plans

Dieter sat on the bed and watched Shin-ae towel off her hair after getting out of the shower. He watched beads of water drip down her curved form and relished at the sight. Surely, he looked ridiculous drooling over her naked body, but something told him he shouldn’t be worried about that. What he should be worried about is how she will react to what he’s about to tell her.

He thought back to yesterday when he had been streaming with Soushi. It had become normal for them to stream together on Fridays so Dieter didn’t anticipate this session being any different. But when he received the call from his Tweetch Affiliate advisor asking him to come to Tweetch-Con to do a meet and greet, his day quickly changed from normal to hectic very quickly…

\- - - -

_ “Mate this is so exciting!” Soushi exclaimed after Dieter got off the phone. He must have heard the entire conversation, “We are going to have a blast! I’ll pack my bags toni-” _

_ “Whoa, why are you coming?” Dieter cut him off. _

_ “Uh, rude. Because I will be your plus one, obviously.” _

_ “Shouldn’t Shin-ae be my plus one though?” Before he had even finished his sentence, he started considering what he had just said. Maybe it was best if Shin-ae didn’t come. She hated parties, and that’s all this was. A big party with a lot of strangers. It already took her considerable about of coaxing to go to her best friend’s going away party, and that was a house party with people Shin-ae knew. Tweetch-Con wouldn’t have food lying around either, so she’d have to stand in lines to get food. _

_ What if something bad happened to her? What if she fainted? What if the stress was too much for her body to handle and something happened with nugget? Now Dieter was really freaking out. He probably shouldn’t go. He would need to email his advisor and let him know he wouldn’t be making it. Apparently, Soushi had the same idea about it not being safe for Shin-ae. _

_ “I know Shin-ae can take care of herself. I’ve seen her hold her own at parties. She’s tuff. But this just doesn’t sound like a good idea. What if someone bumped into her and hurt the baby. What if she tripped. I don’t know, man…” _

_ “Yeah…” Dieter squeaked, his face pailing at the idea of her getting hurt. _

_ “Plus,” Soushi perked up, “This could be like our last hoo-raw!” _

_ “What do you mean our last hoo-raw? This won’t be the last.” _

_ “Well once your baby comes, you aren’t going to have a whole lot of time to do things like this. You and I have talked about going to Tweetch-Con for a while now. This is like...our last big trip before you and Shin-ae have to really settle things down.” _

_ “Oh shit,” Dieter looked down at his hands, “You’re kind of right.” _

_ “Of course I’m right, mate,” Soushi slapped Dieter’s back, “Okay, so this is what I’m thinking. We pack tonight and have our bag ready to go. Then we’ll go to Min-Hyuk’s party thing tomorrow and leave immediately on Sunday morning to catch our flight.” _

_ “That’s not a bad idea. I’m worried about telling Shin-ae, though.” _

_ “Why?” _

_ “I don’t know,” Dieter paused. Why was he worried? What did he have to be worried about? “I guess I don’t want her to feel left out. What if she feels like I’m escaping? I can go about my everyday life and forget that she’s pregnant, not that I actually do that often. But I can. She can’t though. Her pregnancy is physically attached to her and it’s not really fair to her that I can just leave it behind, even for just a few days.” _

_ “Honestly,” Soushi rolled his eyes, “You’re too considerate. You have a life too, you know. She can’t expect you to just stop living life, can she?” _

_ “She doesn’t expect me to stop living life,” Dieter said, getting annoyed with this conversation, “But why shouldn’t she? I’d expect it if I were in her shoes. I’m equally involved.” _

_ “Okay, I see what you’re saying. How does it feel to be the better boyfriend of the friend group?” Soushi teased. Dieter barked out a laugh. _

_ “Pretty damn good. That’s what happens when you care about more than just yourself,” Dieter teased and the boys went back to playing their game. They wanted to get a round in, just the two of them without the stream. _

\- - - -

Dieter had planned on telling Shin-ae last night. He could give her time to discuss it with him and he could make changes to the plan accordingly. But Dieter was too nervous last night. He was kicking himself now for it, though. Now he really needed to tell her. If she was upset it was going to dampen her mood and that was the last thing he wanted to do. He wanted her to have a good night with friends tonight, and not be upset about his trip.

He watched her pull a t-shirt over her head and smooth it over her bump. She was so small, but her bump was so noticeable now. Dieter thought she was incredibly adorable. She started to tie her hair up in her typical ponytail when she turned to Dieter, hair tie in between her teeth. She wrapped it around her hair and walked towards him, finishing up with her hair and then placed her hands gingerly around his shoulders. He sighed and leaned into her, resting his head tenderly on her bump.

“Hey, are you okay?” She asked, “You’ve been kind of...off.” Dieter gulped, trying to calm his twisting stomach. Hot nervousness boiled and his throat felt dry. He needed to do this. Just tell her.

“I, uh,” he started shakily, “I need to tell you something.” 

“Okay, what is it?” she nodded for him to continue, eyebrows knitting together.  _ Tell her. _

Dieter looked up into her eyes. They were shiny, and behind the crimson orbs, he could see love and worry. He was worrying her.  _ Just tell her. It will be okay. You need to tell her. _

He leaned his head down and kissed her arm that was resting on his shoulder. She started to let her hands fall and he grabbed one, placing soft kisses in her palm. 

“I…” he gulped again, “I love you so much.”  _ Nice Dieter. Just chicken out _

\- - - -

Dieter and Shin-ae walked hand in hand into the Park residence. The place smelled of yummy sweet treats and party appetizers, which had Shin-ae already drifting towards the buffet-style table. Dieter walked over to Min-Hyuk and struck up a conversation with him, waiting for Shin-ae to come with her plate piled high like he knew it would be. Just before Shin-ae reached them, Soushi bombarded his way into the space Dieter was sharing with Min-Hyuk.

“Are you so hyped? I am so so so hyped, mate!” 

“Where the hell did you come from?” Dieter laughed. Soushi slicked his hair back and gave Dieter a sly smile. He let it hang instead of tying it up tonight.

“The broom closet with Rika, hehe,” Soushi said cooly and Dieter rolled his eyes and Soushi continued, ”So I’m thinking I’ll pick you up at 4 tomorrow. Our plane leaves at 6, so we want to be there by at least 5 at the latest, cause you know. Airports, am I right?”

“Picking you up? Where are you going?” Dieter’s face paled and Soushi’s eyes widened. He looked to Dieter who was frozen and unable to turn around to face his girlfriend who had just overheard his conversation. He should have shut Soushi up quicker. No, he should have told Shin-ae last night as he planned. Dieter turned slowly to face Shin-ae, dreading what was coming next. Min-Hyuk stepped back far enough to remove himself from the situation, but close enough to still hear what was happening.

“What the hell Dieter?” Soushi said, “I thought you were going to tell her last night?”

“Fuck,” Dieter pinched the bridge of his nose, “Yeah I was. I stupidly decided to wait and then I just ran out of opportunities.”

“Ran out of opportunities?” Shin-ae asked, still confused as to what was happening, “Since last night, we’ve spent the day by each other’s sides,” She was right. He had just procrastinated and now he was going to have to explain himself.

“Can we go outside and talk?” He asked. They rounded the stairs and went to the rooftop. When they got up there, Shin-ae looked at him expectantly, arms crossed over her bump which only distracted him.  _ Why does she always have to look so damn cute? _

“Okay, what’s going on? Where are you going and for how long?”

“I am so sorry. I meant to tell you last night. And then I chickened out. I’m so so sorry-”

“Stop please,” She held up a hand, “I appreciate the sentiment, but you really don’t need to apologize so much, Dieter. Just tell me what’s happening.”

“I got invited to do a meet and greet with fans at Tweetch-Con. And I’m bringing Soushi…”

“Oh…”

“I completely understand if you don’t want me to go, especially now. I fucked this up royally. I was just so nervous that you would be upset.”

“Why would I be upset?”

“Because,” he started but stopped. Why  _ would _ she be upset? He had reasons, but now none of them were coming to mind, “I don’t know. I just thought you would be upset and I’d either have to disappoint you or disappoint Soushi and my fans and I was nervous.” His head hung low in shame and he rubbed the back of his neck. Shin-ae stepped closer and took his other hand.

“Dieter,” she sighed, “How many times do I need to tell you that you can  _ talk _ to me. I don’t understand why you are so nervous, but you’re right. I am disappointed.”

“I’m so sor-”

“I’m disappointed that you didn’t tell me. Or that you felt like you couldn’t tell me…” he looked up, giving her a full view of his sad eyes. He hated disappointing her. He hated making her day negative in any way.

“I should have just told you. I’ll let Soushi know it’s off.” He turned but her grip on his hand tightened and he turned back to face her.

“No, you’re still going,” she said, confused, “I just need you to be safe. I don’t know if you thought I wasn’t going to trust you or something, but I  _ do _ trust you. There’s a reason why I chose to go to the amusement park with you all those months ago and why I’ve been able to open up to you so easily since then. I invited you over when I needed help because I trust you.” He gave her a relieved smile and pulled her in for a hug. He should have known not to worry. Shin-ae was his biggest support system and he needed to remember that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the Kudos and comments everyone! You all are so amazing. Next chapter should be out Saturday!


	31. Chapter 31: Meeting With The Devil

This morning was the fourth day in a row Shin-ae had woke up alone. She hated it, which felt stupid because she used to sleep alone every single night and wake up alone every single morning. But now that she had been waking up next to Dieter every day, it felt so wrong to wake up without him and it through off her entire day. Luckily, he would be back tomorrow afternoon and everything could go back to normal.

Dieter brought normalcy to Shin-ae’s life. He was grounded and didn’t waver in his decisions or opinions. Shin-ae never realized that she absolutely needed that in a partner until Dieter came along. He entered her life during chaos and every time she was around him, every time her life got chaotic, he would calm the storm. When she spent time with Dieter, the worry of the world around her melted away and he made her remember the good things. So when she had to spend almost a week without him, she started to get nervous that maybe things would start to crumble.

Sunday was the easiest. Dieter had spent all night cuddling her and didn’t sleep at all before he left. Since his plane ride would be so long, he said he’d rather stay awake now and sleep on the plane later. When he got up Shin-ae slept for a few hours and then got up, herself, to say goodbye to Min-Hyuk at the airport. The rest of the day she was able to relax and not worry.

Monday is where things started to get worse. She woke up with a sinking feeling in her stomach that morning and immediately called Dieter. He comforted her while she had her anxiety attack until she had to get ready for work. She wasn’t sure what set her off, but she knew she just needed to hear his voice. The rest of Monday was fine, but Tuesday started almost the same and had her forgetting basic things at the office. She sent emails to the wrong people and printed the wrong paperwork for Kousuke. Wednesday was worse and today was looking like it would be utter hell. 

Today was the worse day of the week, so far, because Shin-ae had a meeting with Mrs. Hirahara. After lunch, she had opened her email to find the request for the meeting and had been sitting at her desk, stomach turning, for the last hour. She couldn’t focus on anything. Why would Yui ask to see her? Why does this woman insist on sticking her nose in other people’s business?

Shin-ae walked towards the meeting room reserved for her meeting. Kousuke hadn’t even asked where she was going and she wondered if he already knew about the meeting. Shin-ae took a deep breath and reached out a shaky hand for the handle on the door. Her eyes twitched up to see Yui sitting in a seat, back turned against the door. Suddenly, as if Yui could sense Shin-ae’s presence, she turned and gave Shin-ae a sinister smile. Shin-ae’s goosebump ridden arm yanked the door open and she walked in without another glance at Yui until she was sitting across from her.

“Shin-ae, so good to see you,” Yui said. Her features suddenly became solemn, “I wish it were under happier circumstances.”

“What’s going on?” Shin-ae asked evenly. Yui let out a long sigh and pulled out a piece of photo paper.

“I hate to show you this now...I know you trust him very much. And this will certainly complicate your situation,” Yui turned over the paper and slid it delicately towards Shin-ae, “But I just found out about this and I knew you needed to know.”

Shin-ae looked down at the picture set on the table for her viewing. Her heart dropped and her palms started to clam. She was having such a visceral reaction to something she knew nothing about. There was no way this was actually happening. Shin-ae took the picture to get a closer look as if trying to find proof of the picture being doctored, not that she would even be able to tell if it actually was. 

“What’s going on?” Shin-ae repeated.

\- - - -

Dieter’s time spent at the con was less enjoyable than he expected it to be. Even Soushi agreed it was pretty overrated. Dieter’s meet and greet period wasn’t until Wednesday and up until then had been pretty uneventful, other than a few fans recognizing him. Soushi was having a blast trying out betas of new games, but the waiting times to play these games were way too long to outway the joy of playing for 10 to 15 minutes. It was similar to going to an amusement park during the busiest time of year, waiting an hour in the hot sun, only to ride a rollercoaster for 30 seconds. It wasn’t worth it. Not to mention the smell of the crowded event center.

As Dieter stood in his area, taking pictures with fans and signing objects they handed him, he couldn’t help but think of Shin-ae. If Soushi and him weren’t enjoying themselves, she would have hated this. Twitch-Con was not living up to the hype at all. 

Dieter was half paying attention to the excited girl in front of him. She was saying something and he was just nodding and laughing with her as he had done with the last 20 people. He was exhausted and so ready for this to be over. This girl was making him kinda anxious, too. She was way too excited to be talking to him. She whipped out her phone and Dieter readied himself for the picture. Suddenly there was a flash, and hands on his face, and warmth on his lips. What the fuck? It took him a good three seconds to realize that at the last minute, after handing Soushi her phone to snap the picture, she grabbed his face and kissed him at the last minute.

Dieter felt sick to his stomach, icky, defiled. Was this his fault for not introducing Shin-ae to his stream? That girl didn’t know he had a girlfriend. Would she have still kissed him had she known? Dieter finally looked up at Soushi and Soushi’s face mimicked his. They both were wide eyed and pale. Soushi walked up to Dieter.

“Uh dude are you okay?”

“I think so...did she catch that on camera?” Dieter asked.

“I tried to delete it, but she snatched it out of my hands. Do you want me to go find her?”

“No. I think it’s okay. That was just...so unexpected.”

“Do you still want to continue the meet and greet or should we get out of here?” Soushi asked and Dieter paused. He wanted to end this. He wanted to run from this room. He felt slimy and like he needed to burn his clothes and wash off the dirt from his body.

“Give me five minutes. I need to call Shin-ae,” he finally said after looking around the room. He didn’t have many people at the meet and greet. He wasn’t  _ that _ big of a streamer, but he was big enough to have people here to see him. Soushi nodded and Dieter walked to the corner of the room and called Shin-ae.

The phone went straight to voicemail. Dieter looked at his phone and realized it was the middle of the night for her. He needed to tell her about this, but he also didn’t want to upset her further. She had been so upset yesterday and this morning and he worried that this would only make her anxiety worse. That was the last thing he wanted to do. Well, other than be kissed again.

He slid his phone into his pocket and faced the wall. He needed to tell her. What if the picture started circulating online? He didn’t want her to see it before he had the chance to tell her. His flight would take off before she woke up and he realized he didn’t have a window to call her before then. He would need to tell her when he got back.

It would probably be fine. The picture probably wouldn’t even circulate. Dieter only had a few thousand followers, it’s not like he was prime gossip material. Plus, Shin-ae rarely spent any time on social media. He was most likely getting worked up about nothing, and would have plenty chances to talk to her about this when he got back. Maybe he didn’t even need to talk to her. She’d probably never even see it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry the update was a little late. I had a surprisingly busy day today and yesterday. Hope you guys like it. I'll try and update during the week, but if I'm unable to, next chapter will be up by Sunday evening. Hope everyone is doing well!


	32. Chapter 32: Snake

Shin-Ae stared at the picture of Dieter kissing another girl. It enraged her and also made her sick to her stomach. How could he do something like this? No, this wasn’t Dieter’s fault. Somehow, this was Yui’s doing and Shin-Ae knew it. She didn’t know how, or why, but she knew that Yui was somehow to blame for this.

“What did you do?” Shin-Ae glared at Mrs. Hirahara. Yui barked out a laugh.

“Oddly enough, I didn’t have to do anything this time. I will admit, though, I had been conjuring up a plan to show you this man was not the best choice for you. Turns out, he showed you that all on his own.”

“Where did you even get this picture?” Shin-Ae was not going to back down. If Yui was lying about this not being her doing, this would not be the first time.

“It’s circulating his hashtag on Tweeter. I’m surprised you hadn’t seen it yet,” A dark, somber look overtook Yui’s features, “I’m even more surprised he hasn’t contacted you about it yet.”

Shin-Ae pursed her lips and continued to glare at Yui, although she was starting to falter. She was starting to believe that maybe this truly was Dieter’s doing. Even if it wasn’t, even if Mrs. Hirahara was telling the truth that she didn’t manipulate the situation somehow, why hadn’t Dieter called her? That wasn’t like him, and Shin-Ae started to worry that maybe something was wrong. More wrong than the situation was willing to show at the moment. Her lips began to quiver and Yui snaked her way over to Shin-Ae and placed her hands on her shoulders.

“Shin-Ae, darling, don’t be sad. These things happen to the best of people,” Yui sat down next to her so that they were at eye level with each other. “I know this first hand.” Shin-Ae gave her a confused look and Yui continued, “I’ve been cheated on in marriage. More than a kiss happened. Rand had a full-blown relationship with another woman behind my back. I know what this is like to feel betrayed and I hate to see you go through something like this. I want to look out for you. And you know who else knows this pain and wants to look out for you?”

“Who?”

“Kousuke. He would never do something like this because he knows how much it hurts the family.” 

“What are you getting at?” Shin-Ae asked with a shaky, unsure voice.

“What I’m saying, miss Yoo, is that Kousuke would take much better care of you than Dieter would. Kousuke can provide in more ways than one and he’s much more responsible than this young man,” She said pointing to the picture on the table.

“If you’re trying to look out for me,” Shin-Ae said, trying to sound confident, but failing. She was near tears at this point and even worse, she was starting to believe what Yui was saying, “Why are you suggesting that I be with someone else rather than stay in my relationship like you did?” Shin-Ae thought this would catch Mrs. Hirahara off guard and Shin-Ae could peer through the cracks of her disposition, but Yui’s demeanor didn’t falter. 

“I love my husband, and I wouldn’t go back and change my decision if given the chance. But, that doesn’t mean I would recommend this pain for anyone else. Shin-Ae, when you are in a relationship with a man who was unfaithful to you, things are hard. You constantly question what they are doing when they are out of town or away from you. You second guess your intuition constantly because you don’t want to jump to conclusions and accuse him of lying when that’s what your mind is telling you to do. It’s not a fun experience, and although I wouldn’t change my path, I would gladly steer any woman away from that path because it’s long and painful.”

Shin-Ae didn’t know what to say at this point. She knew Mrs. Hirahara was a master manipulator and a snake, but what she was telling Shin-Ae felt truthful. She may be truthful in what she’s saying, but Shin-Ae had another trick up her sleeve that she felt could bring out Yui’s true nature. 

“So you want me to be with Kousuke?” Shin-Ae asked.

“I’d love for you to be a part of the Hirahara family,” Yui smiled.

“But, I’m having a baby with another man. Why would you welcome that into your family?” Shin-Ae felt like if anything would make Yui’s warmth crack, exposing her true, icy nature, it was this. But Mrs. Hirahara’s attitude didn’t change. She didn’t crack.

“It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had to raise a child that wasn’t my own. And it wouldn’t be Kousuke’s either.”

“What?”

“Well Kousuke didn’t help raise Nol, but he was there for his childhood. He’s experienced growing up with a bastard sibling.” There it was. Mrs. Hirahara’s false warmth cracked and an icy chill pooled out for Shin-Ae to see. It wasn’t at the mention of raising another child, it was the mention of Yeong-Gi. Shin-Ae’s blood started to boil again. She was getting angry. Just before Shin-Ae could say anything, though, the door to the meeting room flew open and Shin-Ae jerked away from Mrs. Hirahara.

“Get away from her, Yui,” Shin-Ae’s heart was filled with relief at the sound of his slightly accented voice. It was Yeong-Gi who burst through the door. She felt his hands on her shoulders and immediately felt safe.

“I am only trying to warn the girl of what her life will be like with an unfaithful partner,” Yui hissed and shoved the photo at Yeong-Gi, “Real great friends you got there, kiddo.”

“This means nothing to me,” Yeong-Gi tossed the photo to the side after barely glancing at it. Maybe he had seen the photo already, “What I’m concerned about is Shin-Ae being alone in a room with  _ you. _ ” Without another word, Shin-Ae shot out of her chair and walked out with Yeong-Gi. She hadn’t realized how badly she was shaking until she was in the hallway with him and she was relieved he had saved her from that situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry for the shorter chapter this week. Not only did I have school work, but I also had to get my application submitted for the business school and that involved a lot of writing. I had to write 3 essays, a cover letter, and a resume, and I of course waited till the last minute to do any of it. I also have my first test in a class tomorrow, so I've been doing a lot of studying for that.
> 
> I'm going to try and write an extra-long chapter this week for you guys to make up for the last couple of short chapters. Hope everyone is doing well! Thanks for the comments and kudos!!


	33. Chapter 33: Dinner and a Show

Shin-Ae sat on the locker room bench shaking. Yeong-Gi was sitting next to her rubbing her back, taking calming breathes himself. Shin-Ae felt confident that this was the natural state anyone should take around that woman. That, to feel comfortable around her was unnatural. Yeong-Gi let out a more exasperated sigh and looked over to Shin-Ae.

“Hey,” he said quietly, “You doing okay?”

“Yeah I mean, she’s not going to come after us is she-”

“No...I mean are you okay after seeing the picture?” 

“Oh,” Shin-Ae mumbled, “Honestly, I completely forgot about it.”

“I’m sure it was nothing, Shin-Ae. Dieter has been head over heels for you for over a year now. He wouldn’t throw that away.”

“Do you think he’s getting cold feet about all of this?” Shin-Ae said, resting a hand on her bump. 

“Pffft, no!” Yeong-Gi laughed, “He’d never get cold feet.”

“How do you know, though? How are you so sure?” Shin-Ae asked. Yeong-Gi turned his body towards her and gave her a sideways smile.

“Because I know. I know him. I know there’s no way that he did this. Either that picture was photoshopped or he was forced into that, but he didn’t do that.” Shin-Ae smiled up a Yeong-Gi and then leaned her head on his shoulder. Yeong-Gi was always good at comforting her.

Suddenly Jace entered the locker room.

“I thought I would find you here,” He said, giving them an awkward look, “Kousuke wanted to let Shin-Ae know that he has a dinner meeting with a client and he’d like for her to join.” Shin-Ae groaned and Yeong-Gi started to get up from where he was seated.

“He always picks great times to do this shit, doesn’t he?” Yeong-Gi said, reaching a hand out to Shin-Ae to help her stand, “How about I come over tonight and keep you company while we wait for Dieter and Soushi to get back from their flight?” 

“Actually yeah,” Shin-Ae said, smiling at him kindly, “That sounds really nice. Thanks, Yeong-Gi.” 

\- - - -

Shin-Ae and Kousuke sat at a round, three-person table at an entirely too fancy restaurant. It was dimly lit by yellow chandeliers and candles, casting a golden glow. The white tablecloth contrasted with the dark red napkins and the violin music that was playing, calmed Shin-Ae’s nerves just a tad. She felt so out of place in these kinds of places. 

Kousuke seemed nervous and Shin-Ae assumed it was due to meeting with this client. He was looking at his phone when he looked up at her and set his phone face down on the table.

“My apologies, Miss Yoo. I was reading an email our client sent me. It appears they will be significantly late. I suggest we order now and we can discuss matters with them over dessert.”

“Oh, alright,” Shin-Ae said. Kousuke wasn’t normally the type to eat without his guests being present. Normally he’d just reschedule in cases like this, “I want the steak.”

Kousuke waived down the waitress and ordered for them. After he was finished ordering he placed his hands in his lap, staring down at them nervously. Shin-Ae rarely saw Kousuke restless like this and she was starting to worry about him.

“Kousuke?” 

“Yes, Miss Yoo?”

“Are you okay?” She asked. It took him a few moments to answer, so Shin-Ae continued to fill the gap of silence, “You seem really nervous. Is this client a big wig with a mean side?” Kousuke let out a small huff.

“They...well,” he floundered and finally looked Shin-Ae in the eyes, “May I speak with you about something?”

“Uhhh,” Now it was Shin-Ae’s turn to flounder. She almost felt sorry for Kousuke. He was being very unlike himself, “Yeah! Yes of course…”

“First of all, I’d like to apologize for my mother’s behavior today. She shouldn’t have taken it upon herself to drag you away from your work so that she could show you a picture.”

“Oh. You don’t need to apologize Kousuke. I know it’s not your fault.” This was partially a lie. Unfortunately, Shin-Ae knew that no matter what Kousuke did, his mother would always be a part of his life. And if you wanted to spend time with Kousuke, you’d have run-ins with this woman. Kousuke wasn’t responsible for her, but in a way, Shin-Ae did feel like it was his fault for some reason. Or partially his fault in some way.

“I appreciate that. I’m sorry about Dieter, as well. It must be hard-”

“Wait, how do you know about what happened? Your mom seriously told you?” So much for her just wanting to look out for Shin-Ae. Now she was spreading around gossip.

“Well yes. I’m glad she did. I know you wouldn’t have told me, and I feel it would be beneficial to you if you weren’t trying to hide a break-up. Especially in your condition,” Kousuke motioned towards Shin-Ae’s midsection then sipped at his water.

“Wait, what? Break up?” Shin-Ae stuttered.

“He cheated on you. You shouldn’t be with someone who would do that.”

“Wait, Kousuke,” Shin-Ae started, shaking her head in disbelief, “I have a feeling that picture doesn’t entirely tell the truth. I haven’t even had the chance to talk to him about it.”

“Miss Yoo,” Kousuke looked at her with a concerned expression, “Are you telling me that he hasn’t even contacted you yet?”

“Well, he hasn’t-”

“You’re going to let him treat you this way?”

“No, what I was trying to say was-”

“And you’re still considering staying with him?” He asked aggressively and Shin-Ae slammed her hands on the table, enraged.

“Would you shut up for five seconds? I’m trying to explain the situation to you” Suddenly, Shin-Ae felt eyes drawn to her from other tables. She instantly calmed down as much as she could and lowered her voice, “Kousuke, he has been on a very long flight. I don’t believe he intended for this to happen and I’m sure he has an explanation for this. Maybe his phone broke and he is unable to get ahold of me.”

“If that were the case, couldn’t he just use Soushi’s phone to call or text you?” Kousuke said smoothly. That stopped Shin-Ae in her tracks and ripped through her tender heart. The answer was yes, but she couldn’t let him be right. No way.

“Well,” Shin-Ae said shakily, “That’s between him and me to discuss. That doesn’t involve you. I don’t like that you just assumed we were breaking up.”

“What if you did though?” Kousuke said and a shiver crawled its way up Shin-Ae’s spine as Kousuke rested a hand on top of hers, just like he did when went to dinner with him and Yeong-Gi almost a year ago. “What if you broke up and you came with me? To Japan.”

“What?” Shin-Ae hissed.

“I’m serious, Miss Yoo. You would be well taken care of. I would raise your child as if they were my own. I would provide for you and I would never put you in a situation like this.” Shin-Ae sat there, mouth agape. She frantically searched for something to say in hopes that he wouldn’t assume her silence was her considering this absurd offer.

“No,” She said, dragging the word out, “No. That’s not, I’m not…” Her voice fell as she witnessed the look on his face. He was desperately pleading with her through his crystal blue eyes. Eyes similar to Dieter’s but an entirely different shape, “Kousuke, I’m not interested in you that way. And I don’t believe you want me to actually be with you. You shouldn’t settle for me when you could have pretty much any woman you wanted.” Kousuke blushed and Shin-Ae tried to think of something to say, but all she could think about was Dieter and the way he blushed at her. She was starting to desperately miss him.

“I would never settle for you, Miss Yoo,” Kousuke started, “because I couldn’t settle for you. You can’t settle for something you desire so strongly.”

“You’re not serious…”

“Oh but I am. You are beautiful and I think you’ve grown into a beautiful young woman. I could make you such a powerful figure. You would never have to worry about working again in your life. We could pass my family’s legacy down to your child.”

“Kousuke, I don’t want to not have to work. I don’t like living so lavishly.”

“Nonsense,” he scoffed, “You would get used to the lifestyle and learn to enjoy it.”

“But why learn how to enjoy living a certain way, when you already enjoy how you are living now?”

“You really enjoy living in a low-end apartment on top of a chicken shop?” He asked, but his look told her that whatever she answered with he wouldn’t actually believe her. 

“The apartment that Dieter and I live in is the nicest apartment I’ve ever been in,” Aside from Kousuke’s but she was not about to admit that to him, “It’s not low end. And you really think I don’t love having fried chicken at my disposal almost constantly? I just have to take an elevator down to the bottom floor and there I am.”

“Oh, I’m sure they know you by name at this point,” Kousuke rolled his eyes and Shin-Ae glared at him.

“Yes and I don’t know what’s so bad-” Suddenly Shin-ae saw him. Walking towards her and Kousuke’s table was a tall, blonde man with piercing blue eyes. Shin-Ae almost thought he was a hallucination, but the way his eyes flashed with furry made her realize that she’d never fantasize about an angry Dieter. Why was he so angry though?

When he was only a few steps away he called out quietly and firmly, “Kousuke, leave her alone” Dieter stood behind her. Behind him came Soushi and Yeong-Gi looking concerned. Shin-ae shot out of her chair and latched on to Dieter. Her face felt wet with tears, though she didn’t know when she had actually started crying.

“I’ve got this from here,” Yeong-Gi said and sat in the seat next to Shin-Ae and Kousuke, “Just get her home. I’ll see you guys there tonight.”

“Wait,” Shin-Ae turned to Kousuke, “The client will be here any minute now.” Dieter grabbed her hand and gently led her towards the exit.

“There is no client. He just wanted an excuse to have dinner with you while I was gone.”

When the three of them exited the restaurant, they stood on the sidewalk, Shin-Ae twisting around Dieter like clingwrap. Soushi was on his phone and Dieter kissed the top of her head and ran his hands over her silky hair. Shin-Ae pulled away from him slightly to look at his face.

“So what in the hell, Dieter?!” she said aggravated, “What the fuck is up with that picture?!”

“Oh you’ve seen it already,” Dieter’s face paled slightly and his hand rubbed the back of his neck, “I called you right after it happened, but your phone was off.”

“Then leave me a message! Text me! Do something!”

“I know. I should have. I thought I would be able to talk to you about it when I got home-”

“Well yeah,” Shin-Ae shrieked, “It would have been nice to hear about it from you first instead of my boss’ mother. Do you know how embarrassing this is?”

Soushi placed a hand on Shin-Ae’s shoulder and spun her around to look at him. At the same time, Yeong-Gi walked out and joined them on the sidewalk.

“Okay,” Soushi said, raising his voice above Shin-Ae’s, “Looks like someone is hangry. How about you and I go get some food and Dieter and Yeong-Gi and get back to your place so Dieter can clean up.”

“No,” Shin-Ae started to turn back to Dieter when Soushi wrapped his hand around her wrist and tugged on her arm, “I’m still talking to him!”

“You can do that when you get back home,” Soushi said kindly, “You and I are going to go get dinner, though, since your original plan was kind of a bust.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so it wasn't as long as I wanted it to be, but I have a Japanese exam tomorrow that I need to study more for. I hope you guys like this one. I'll see you next week. Thanks so much for all of the comments and kudos <3


	34. Chapter 34: Clearing the Air

Shin-Ae sat on the cool, metal bench waiting for Soushi to return with their dinner. Before he walked over to the street food vendor, he had sat Shin-Ae down at this bench and made sure she was okay. She didn’t realize until then how shaken up she had become. Her hands and knees had been shaking and she developed a slight headache from her constant anxiety today brought her.

The more Shin-Ae thought about today, the more confused she had become. Since being with Dieter, her life had mellowed out, despite her being pregnant. But the moment the Hiraharas inserted themselves back into her business, the more weird Shin-Ae’s days became. And despite how uncomfortable Kousuke had made her tonight, she couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. 

There was nothing special about Shin-Ae, so she didn’t feel like he actually had feelings for her. She felt it was more likely that he was so used to women fawning over him that when a woman showed no interest in him, he became enamored with them. As if he was there for the chase and that’s why he was even slightly interested. She wondered how long he had been sitting with these feelings. It made her think about all of the times they had spent alone together. When Mrs. Hirahara had tricked her into making him dinner for his birthday, when she met with him for coffee, and all the times they had spent together alone in his office. Was he battling these feelings during all of those times? Maybe he didn’t start liking her this way until he had found out she was pregnant; when he found out he couldn’t have her. She had become forbidden territory.

Shin-Ae shook the thought out of her head. If he liked her before that point, it would actually explain some of his past behaviors. Like how he was gentle with her at the dreaded formal or how he was insistent on her leaving with him the night of Dieter’s birthday. If she had left with him that night, would she still have the life she had today? No, she wouldn’t. She wouldn’t have gotten pregnant and it would have taken much longer for her and Dieter to officially start dating. She wouldn’t be nearly as happy as she was now. Her life would still feel stagnant and directionless. 

Shoushi approached Shin-Ae with her meal and took a seat next to her. He frowned and watched as she slowly ate her food, which was pretty out of character for her.

“I got you spicy, I hope that’s okay. I know you like spicy…”

“Oh,” Shin-Ae looked up at Soushi, “Yeah, it’ll just give me massive heartburn tonight, but it’s worth it. Thanks.” Soushi snorted and watched her for a few more moments before letting out a breath and pushing his food around his paper plate.

“Okay,” he sighed and took a bite of his meal, “Now that you have some food in you, I wanted to explain to you what happened during our trip.”

“Why couldn’t Dieter have told me?” Shin-Ae asked, knitting her brows together, “Why are you buttering me up with food just to tell me about this stupid trip?”

“I’m not buttering you up with food,” Soushi laughed, “I’m just calming the beast within. I know how you get when you’re hungry and it is not a monster to be reckoned with.”

“Okay,” Shin-Ae smirked, “But that doesn’t explain why Dieter couldn’t have told me.”

“True,” Soushi nodded, “I just thought I would try and help him out with this. He’s been kind of a wreck this entire trip.” Shin-Ae looked at him with concern.

“Why? I thought this was going to be a fun trip for you and him?”

“Yeah,” Soushi sighed, “I did too. Or at least that’s what I had planned for. I talked him into going on this trip so that me and him could have one last big event before the baby came. He’s not going to be able to just up and leave to go on trips anymore and I thought this was a perfect opportunity to go on one last trip together. But it ended up being a huge bust.”

“What made it such a bust?” Shin-Ae asked.

“Well, for starters, the con wasn’t fun. It was stuffy and crowded and the lines were ridiculous. Then his photo-op happened and that was an absolute nightmare. That picture you saw? Yeah, the girl just grabbed his face and kissed him and the last second. She flat out assaulted him.”

Shin-Ae was filled with red-hot anger. She knew he didn’t do this, but she didn’t realize how bad the situation was.

“And you guys let her get away with that? With the picture?” Shin-Ae asked.

“We were so shocked when it happened. I took the photo and before I could even regain my composure she snatched her phone and took off.”

“So did you guys not report her?”

“Dieter didn’t want to get involved with it. He felt it would disappoint his fans to do that to one of them.”

“What the hell?” Shin-Ae shrieked, “He was sexually assaulted. That girl would deserve any punishment coming her way.”   
  
“Trust me,” Soushi said calmly, “I know. I told him the same thing. But he felt like this was his fault for not introducing you to his stream. His stream doesn’t know about you and he felt if they had, that girl wouldn’t have stepped out of bounds like she did.

“That’s not true though,” Shin-Ae groaned, “If that girl was willing to kiss him without his permission, my permission wouldn’t have even crossed her mind.”

“Yeah,” Soushi huffed, “I told him that, too. But I didn’t want to push him. He was already so uncomfortable, even before the kiss happened.”

“Why was he so uncomfortable?”

“Aside from the long wait times and general lame-ness of the con?” Soushi paused and looked down, before taking in a breath and continuing, “He was worried about you. You weren’t the only one missing him. He missed you like crazy and was concerned about how you were doing.”

“I guess my calls didn’t help him any,” Shin-Ae said, “Maybe I shouldn’t have called him so much.”   
  
“Nah,” Soushi said softly, “With the way his face lit up every time he talked to you it was clear that it was just as comforting to him as it was for you.”

A warm ache filled Shin-Ae as she thought about how Dieter missed her just as much as she missed him. It made sense, he was a pretty sensitive dude. The ache grew as she thought about how close she was to being next to him again. She had just seen him and she was already missing him. Then a thought popped into her head.

“Hey, how did you guys know where to find me tonight?”

“Heh, yeah,” Soushi awkwardly said as he slicked his hand over his hair, “About that. So this is pretty fucked. Are you ready for it?”

“Uhhh,” Shin-Ae said with concern and confusion, “Yeah, I mean now you’ve piqued my curiosity. You have to tell me now, whether I’m ready or not.”

“Okay,” Soushi said slowly, “How do I even start? So first thing you should know is Kousuke has tried to get me to interfere with yours and Dieter’s relationship for a while now. Like since before you guys were dating he tried to get me to interrupt yours and his alone time together.”

“Uhhh, what?” Shin-Ae asked.

“Yeah, I’m not finished. Kousuke has been cooking up this weird-ass plan to propose to you for a while now. His mom convinced him to when she found out about you being pregnant. He stupidly told me, and I tried talking him out of it, but he insisted that it was for the better,” Soushi rolled his eyes, “Pompous ass. I would never tell Dieter about the things that Kousuke has said about him. He talks a lot of shit…”

“Well, I knew that much, Soushi.”

“Yeah,” Soushi nodded, “I figured. So anyways, He texted me just a few hours ago checking to see when our flight was arriving. When I told him that we had just landed he told me to make sure Dieter didn’t text you. I stupidly figured it was because you were in an important meeting or something but after a few minutes the request felt...off.”

“I mean, technically we were in a meeting,” Shin-Ae snorted, “Just not a work one. And not a meeting I wanted to be in.”

“I’m glad I questioned him about it,” Soushi nodded, “It was a weird request and I felt weird going with it. So he told me what was going on. That he was having dinner with you. He told me his mom pushed him to propose tonight because you and Dieter were breaking up. I told him that wasn’t true and to not propose but he told me to just mind my business and do as he said.”

“What the fuck? So he’s allowed to get in my business, but you’re not?”

“I know,” Soushi shook his head, “That’s Kou for you. So I asked where you guys were. At first, he wouldn’t tell me, but I told him if I was supposed to keep Dieter away from you, I needed to know where you were at. He told me, I told Dieter what was happening, and we took off to come to your aid.”

“I’m so glad you came. That was so awkward,” Shin-Ae suppressed a shiver as she finished eating, “I didn’t want to go to that dinner even before he asked me to move with him to Japan.”

“Me too,” Soushi nodded, “I was worried that we wouldn’t get there in time. I knew you never would have agreed to it, but he put you in a really bad position. He was making it hard for you to say no and that concerned me more than anything.”

“Wait,” Shin-Ae blinked a few times and looked up at Soushi, “You don’t think Kousuke would have hurt me or something, do you?”

“Kousuke?” Soushi considered, “No. His mother, though? You never know with her.”

Shin-Ae shivered and followed Soushi as he stood up and walked over to the trash bins to throw away their paper plates. She walked alongside him, silently thanking the universe that he was with her at this moment. Her relationship with Soushi started off rocky, but she had grown to appreciate him, just as Dieter said she would. Soushi was a good friend. He was obnoxious and loud, but his heart was kind. He liked to have fun and he liked to make other people laugh. She felt safe around him and knew that she didn’t need to worry now that he and Dieter were back from their trip.

She walked with Soushi back to her and Dieter’s apartment and talked with him about the fun parts of the trip. Soushi made fun of Shin-Ae’s new waddle that had developed as her weight started to shift her center of gravity. It didn’t make her mad, though. It just made her laugh. She asked Soushi about his and Rika’s relationship and teased him about his soft side developing from being in a relationship. As they stepped out of the elevator and rounded the corner to her apartment door, her heart started to race with anticipation of seeing Dieter.

“Hey Soushi,” she asked, with a slightly shaky voice. He gave her a sideways smile and cocked his eyebrow, “Thanks for tonight. Thanks for explaining the situation to me.”

“I just wanted to help Dieter out. He was so nervous about telling you, I thought I could make it easier on him to explain the situation and have you get upset at me instead of him.”

“I wouldn’t have gotten upset with him-”

“Not  _ with _ him,” Soushi chuckled, “ _ At _ him. You were rightfully upset with the situation. Dieter’s going to fret over you being upset regardless of whether it’s with him or with someone else. I just wanted him to relax tonight and let me handle your wrath.” Shin-Ae rolled her eyes and laughed.

“Okay, I guess I can understand that. Thanks for being such a good friend to him.”

“No need to thank me,” Soushi grinned, “But you know what you  _ can _ do?”

“What?” Shin-Ae asked, one hand on the doorknob, the other turning the key.

“Keep your cat from ripping my face off.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all like this chapter! I actually really enjoyed writing it and it got me excited to continue. I have midterms this week, so I'll do my best to get a good chapter out by next Sunday. Thanks for the Kudos and comments. You guys mean the world to me, especially during these times of missing Quimchee.


	35. Chapter 35: White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

Shin-Ae barely took two steps into her doorway before she felt Dieter’s warmth engulf her. His divine smell overpowering her senses. She closed her eyes and let her arms find their way around his waist as Dieter peppered her with kisses. Finally, she pulled away just enough to let her eyes find his. She swam in the crystal blue eyes staring down at her for a few moments before shifting to her tiptoes to plant her lips on his.

He sucked on her bottom lip desperately as if he had been craving this, eliciting a shiver from Shin-Ae. Her heartbeat pulsated in her ears and all she could do keep kissing him. Her tongue entered his mouth and she gasped quietly, bringing her hands up to grab at his golden locks, pulling him closer to her. His hair was wet and she only just realized he must have recently showered. It made sense given the long flight he had just returned from. One of her hands dropped to the back of his neck, scratching lightly at his soft skin which caused him to let out a quiet moan.

“Okay,” Soushi said, still standing in the doorway, “That’s enough of that. At least let Yeong-Gi and I leave before you two start this up.” Shin-Ae ripped her face away from Dieter’s and watched a dark blush creep up his neck. She smiled, remembering how much she missed how he was so easily flustered. She missed him so much.

“Sorry,” Dieter murmured, taking Shin-Ae’s hand and leading her into the kitchen to let Soushi fully enter the apartment. As she looked into the living room she heard a muffled scream come from Dieter’s office.

“Mother fu-WHAT THE HEL?” Yeong-Gi screeched, “That was bullshit! I had that guy.” Shin-Ae glanced up at Dieter questioningly and he gave her an apologetic look.

“I got this new controller and Yeong-Gi wanted to try it out. It sounds like he’s still getting his ass kicked, though,” Dieter’s hand rubbed small circles over Shin-Ae’s bump and a content smiled moved across his face, “Oh, you’ve gotten bigger since I’ve been gone.”

“Have I?” Shin-Ae smiled and looked down at his hand, “Your hand still covers the entirety of my whole stomach. I can’t really tell that it’s gotten bigger.” Dieter rested his forehead on her and hummed. 

“I missed you so much. I’m seriously never leaving your side again.” Shin-Ae wished that she could just tell him that it’s alright. That she was fine and he’s allowed to go on trips without her. He’s allowed to have fun. But she would be lying if she told him that she never wanted him to leave her side again. She’d be lying if tried to convince him that she had been alright during his time away.

“I missed you too,” She said, lifting her head and rubbing the tip of her nose against his, “Please take me with you next time.”

“I doubt there will be a next time,” Shin-Ae, caught off guard again, turned her head to see Soushi walking around them to grab a glass and run it under the sink. He continued, “It sucked. For a convention where you get to try out new gaming tech, there was actually very little to do.”

“Soushi’s right,” Dieter said, planting another kiss on her forehead, “Soushi and I didn’t really have that much fun. The first night was the best, but that was just us exploring the area around the hotel a bit and getting food. The con itself was lackluster at best.”

“I’m sorry about what happened,” Shin-Ae said. Dieter cupped her cheek in his hand and Shin-Ae leaned into his touch.

“Why are you sorry?”   
  
“Because what happened to you was bad?” Shin-Ae said confused, “You really should have reported her.”

“Well I don’t foresee anything like that happening again,” Dieter said, “I’m going to introduce you to my stream, so now they’ll know that I’m taken.”

“Okay, but this didn’t happen because they thought you were single, Dieter. That girl would have kissed you regardless of if you were dating anyone.”

“Maybe, but I still think it’s best if I let them know about you,” Dieter said looking away from Shin-Ae.

“Hey, whoa, look at me,” Shin-Ae said gently clutching at his hand and interlocking their fingers, “Dieter I don’t think you realize how serious this is. She assaulted you, okay? What she did wasn’t okay regardless of whether you are in a relationship or not. Do you really not feel like what she did was wrong?”

“Honestly, I was more concerned about what you would do if you found out.  _ When  _ you found out.”

“I’m fine,” Shin-Ae said giving his hand a small squeeze. She felt a little guilty that he was more concerned with her emotions than his own, “What I’m concerned about is how you feel about this.”

“I’m okay,” Dieter gave her a small smile, “I’m not really sure what to feel.”

“That’s okay, mate,” Soushi pitched in, “But just know that if you need to talk about it, we’re here.” Shin-Ae gave Soushi a smile and returned to her face to Dieter when there was a knock at the door. Yeong-Gi burst out of the office excitedly and rushed towards the door.

“That’s the pizza!” he called out.

“Pizza?” Shin-Ae asked, her head following Yeong-Gi, “You guys got pizza?” Yeong-Gi opened the door and handed the pizza guy money.

“Don’t worry,” he said, turning around with two large pizza boxes in hand, “We got enough for you two as well.”

“Oh, you guys didn’t need to do that,” Soushi said, “Shin-Ae and I already had foo-”

“Shut up! Shush!” Shin-Ae interrupted him, reaching over and clapping her hand to Soushi’s mouth, “Thanks Yeong-Gi, I’d love pizza!” 

\- - - -

It had been four weeks since Dieter returned from his trip, four weeks since Shin-Ae had last seen Mrs. Hirahara, and four weeks since Kousuke made his proposal. Dieter was well into his first term and seemed to be doing quite well, juggling school and work. Shin-Ae was 28 weeks pregnant and she could  _ really _ feel it now. She was officially in her third trimester and there were multiple changes that had been made to her body and mind. 

For one, she officially looked like she was smuggling a melon under her clothes. She was experiencing excruciating pain in her lower abdomen and sides. The doctor had told her that it was round ligament pain and she was surprised Shin-Ae hadn’t felt it until now. Apparently, it was more common during the second trimester. She also started getting leg cramps at night that would either keep her up or interrupt her sleep. Nugget was just as restless and would often push up into Shin-Ae’s ribs causing sharp pains and shallow breathing until she decided to stop.

Mentally, Shin-Ae had changed quite a bit, as well. When she would start to stress about anything she found that cleaning helped calm her down. She liked rearranging furniture and wall art and emptying drawers to reorganize the contents. She spent much more time thinking about Nugget and what she would be like. Would she be shy like her father or blunt like her mother? Would she be interested in martial arts? Would she enjoy eating like Shin-Ae? Not only did Shin-Ae spend time thinking about Nugget’s personality, but she also spent more time thinking about her environment. Shin-Ae spent a lot of time looking at baby items and researching what items she needed. She had several wishlists from different shopping locations of different cribs, clothing, and toys picked out. Surprisingly, Shin-Ae enjoyed this sense of motivation. 

Luckily for Shin-Ae, her desk was moved to a different area farther away from Kousuke. This was a relief for Shin-Ae, but she also felt a bit sad for Kousuke. He always seemed so lonely, and after their dinner together we kept himself even busier than before. He didn’t want to be anywhere near other people, especially Shin-Ae. Due to his melancholy mood the past four weeks, Shin-Ae had Dieter bring her to Sunbucks to pick up a slice of their white chocolate raspberry cheesecake for Kousuke. She wanted to cheer him and it’s a good thing she decided to do this when she did because that morning she learned some surprising news.

“Today is my last day in this office. You will now answer to Jace from today forward. I have had a wonderful time at this branch, but it’s time for me to move on to my new role.” Kousuke sat at the head of the long table with the rest of their department. Shin-Ae sat only a few chairs down from him, not wanting to be too close, but also not wanting to outright avoid him. Kousuke continued to give his transition plans and instructions to the group before finishing up with, “Thank you all for your hard work and acquaintanceship.”

After the meeting, Shin-Ae followed him to his office with a small box in her hands. She entered his office behind him, apparently without him noticing because when she spoke he jolted slightly.

“Hey Kousuke,” She said softly to which he whipped around to face her, “I wanted to give this to you. It wasn’t meant to be a goodbye present, but I guess that’s what it turned out to be.”

“Miss Yoo,” Kousuke said, taking the box from her hands, “What is this?”

“I just thought,” Shin-Ae stammered, “I thought, well you seemed kinda down the past few weeks. I got this for you to cheer you up, or at least try.”

“Oh,” he said and paused for an uncomfortable amount of time, “Thank you. I appreciate your sentiment.”

“Um, Kousuke,” Shin-Ae asked with a shaky voice, “I wanted to thank you. If it weren’t for you I wouldn’t have the opportunity to work here. And while I didn’t enjoy the courses you made me take, I understand now that they  _ were _ at least somewhat valuable for me. So thank you...for all you’ve done for me.” Kousuke looked at her with sadness radiating from him. He shook his head and looked as if he wanted to say something, but stayed quiet. He turned and walked over to his desk and set the box down.

“You shouldn’t thank me,” he mumbled and Shin-Ae cocked her head to the side.

“Why do you say that?”

“If anything, I hindered your ability to work here. I told you I wouldn’t have hired you if my mother hadn’t intervened. If you should be thanking anyone,” Kousuke paused for another uncomfortable few seconds and finally looked up from where the box was sitting on his desk, “It should be my brother. He fought for you and was exceptionally angry when he found out I wasn’t hiring you.”

“Well even so,” Shin-Ae said. She already knew this, but she still felt grateful to Kousuke, “You still helped me keep this job. You took me to buy clothes before I started working and you helped me during my time here. So thank you.” Before Kousuke could argue with her, she turned and left the room. It’s not exactly how she wanted to say goodbye, but she didn’t have much of a choice. She could tell she was only making him uncomfortable.

At the end of the day, Shin-Ae walked out of the building to meet Dieter outside. He walked her home every single day and she enjoyed this time with him, although, with the added weight she was starting to enjoy it less and less. She hated how out of breath she was all the time and how much her back ached after only 10 minutes of walking, but Dieter usually gave her a back rub or foot rub when they got home, so that helped. Before spotting Dieter, Shin-Ae was drawn to Kousuke’s car which had pulled up to the entrance of the building. Standing outside of it was Yu-Jing and Kousuke loading two boxes. They were talking and, shockingly, smiling at one another. Kousuke grabbed Yu-Jing’s hand and kissed it lightly and Shin-Ae almost audibly gasped. For the first time since meeting Qtip, Shin-Ae saw unbridled happiness on Kousuke’s face. She would have to ask Yeong-Gi about this later, but for now, she would let herself assume that they were dating now and that made her happy. All she wanted was for this guy to find happiness and judging by what she saw happening right now, she suspected that maybe he had finally found it.

Kousuke walked around to the driver’s side and Yu-Jing turned to see Shin-Ae shuffling outside of the building. She smiled at Shin-Ae and gave a nod before turning to sit in the car.

“Shin-Ae,” Dieter called out as he glided over to her, long legs taking no time to close the gap between them, “You look surprised. Are you okay?” Shin-Ae smiled and looked up at him. She grabbed his face and gently kissed him.

“Yeah,” She said glancing back at the space where Kousuke’s car was last located, “Yeah, everything’s good.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who didn't do any homework all weekend like I planned on doing haha? Yeah so the charger for my gaming laptop crapped out on me this weekend. I planned on gaming for a few hours and then was going to write and do homework, but because I wasn't able to game it threw off my entire weekend and I just...didn't do homework??? So yeah anyways I'm definitely going to regret that during this week while I play catchup.
> 
> I hope you guys like the chapter. This one was slightly difficult, but I think I got it to where I need it. Fun fact, while I was looking up some info for this chapter, I learned that Yeong-Gi and Kousuke are in the prolog. You can see them in the background in a car that's driving by. You may already know this but I didn't and I was shocked. The scene is blurry, but it's clearly them. 
> 
> Thanks for the Kudos and comments!


	36. Change of Plans

Dieter exited the classroom from which he had spent the last hour and a half. The air was cool and crisp and reminded him of this time last year. He had been overtaken with grief over the rejection of Shin-ae and spent most of his time either locked away in his room trying to get his mind off of her or with Soushi and Yeong-gi and letting  _ them _ try to get his mind off of her. And then there were the few times where he actually did get to spend time with her and those were his favorite memories from his senior year. Sure the rejection was bad, but in a way it was necessary. Had he not been rejected in the first place, she still wouldn’t have known who he was. After the rejection they slowly got to know each other better, spending more and more time within their group of friends and then eventually alone. Those were precious memories that he dared not to forget.

As he rounded the corner of a breezeway that led out to one of the main courtyards on campus, he spotted someone he wasn’t expecting to see. An admiring grin slowly swept along his face as he spotted the very girl he was just thinking about. She was wearing a nice, black sweater and her new maternity khaki slacks with a pair of boots his mother and sister bought her a week ago. Her hair, which had grown about five inches since she got pregnant, bounced gracefully as she walked towards him. Her cheeks and the tip of her nose were flushed from the cold air that brushed along her light skin. She was so gorgeous, even with the beach ball-sized bump she sported nowadays. Despite her only being 32 weeks, it was hard to believe she would be getting bigger.

“What are you doing here?” Dieter asked softly. Without letting her answer back, he planted a kiss on her lips. After a short moment, he pulled away and let her answer.

“I thought I would bring you lunch. Jace wants me to be in the office for a meeting that is taking place later tonight, so he’s giving me a longer break.”

“How late are we talking?”

“The meeting starts at 7, so I probably won’t be home until around 8:30 or 9.”

“Geez, that  _ is  _ late. Are you okay with that?”

“Actually, yeah. It’s not like this happens often. It’s a super important meeting and Jace doesn’t exhaust me the same way Kousuke did. I’ll probably be super tired tonight when I get home, but I don’t think it will be so bad.” Shin-ae tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and continued to look into Dieter’s eyes with admiration. Dieter took the shoulder bag she was hauling and gently clasped his fingers around hers, leading her to his favorite spot to eat on campus.

“Alright,” Dieter said, trying to keep the disappointment out of his voice, “if you’re okay with it then that’s fine with me. I’ll give you a foot massage when you get home if it helps?” Dieter wasn’t too confident that Shin-ae would be unhindered after such a long day. She generally crashed after getting home from work on a normal day, so today was bound to absolutely destroy her. But he wasn’t about to question her. If she said she would be okay, then she would be.

They continued walking and making small talk with each other. Every once in a while, they would pass by a food cart from one of the many vendors that came to campus and he could practically see Shin-ae go green. The second trimester, while not perfect, had really lightened up on the nausea. Unfortunately, shortly after the start of week 30, the nausea had come back full force. Shin-ae was waking up almost every morning rushing to the bathroom. Smells were her biggest enemy as even the smells from the chicken restaurant below were enough to make her empty her stomach, and she generally liked those smells. 

He wondered what she had picked up for them or if she had made something herself. Lately, she had been making these very simple sandwiches which consisted of egg salad, cucumber salad, and ham. They were good, but it definitely wasn’t the type of food that Dieter was used to, despite living in Korea for several years now. His family still made traditional German type food. Dieter’s mind drifted to a couple of weeks ago when he and Shin-ae had ended up having a conversation about comfort foods from each others’ childhoods. Shin-ae made a three color sandwich for him and he had agreed to make her his favorite sandwich, which consisted of bratwurst and apple. Before he was even finished preparing it though, Shin-ae had gotten sick from the smell of the meat and couldn’t stand to try it. After that, he agreed to try and make it again for her after Nugget was born, so as not to make her sick.

Suddenly, Dieter could feel Shin-ae staring up at him expectantly. His face shot down to look at hers in confirmation. A slight blush kept up his neck and he cleared his throat before saying, “Sorry, what was that?”

“I asked how school was going. You don’t talk about it much.”

“Can I be honest with you?”

“Um, of course? I think we’ve been through this before. You can always be honest with me.”

Dieter nodded, but couldn’t quite find the words to describe what his thoughts were.

“Right, sorry. I guess I’m just distracted,” he stated, “It’s...well it’s not going great.”

“Oh no really?” Shin-ae gave his hand a small squeeze as they rounded a corner. Dieter led them to a stone bench that sat in front of a barrier overlooking a small stream. He handed the shoulder bag back to Shin-ae and she started unpacking. She had made three color sandwiches and also packed two thermoses of soup for them. Dieter’s stomach loudly growled as he twisted the canister open and got the first whiff of hot soup. After a few bites and a few moments to think of his response, he finally answered her question.

“So, it’s not that it’s going badly. I have decent grades and I’m not struggling. It’s just that...I don’t know. I guess I lack motivation. I don’t know if I want to continue studying this. I don’t know if this is the right path for me to take.”

“Are you thinking of something else?” You could switch majors. It’s still early enough.”

“Honestly, all I know is that I want to be with you and I want to be a good father. When I think about the future, I think about our family. I don’t really think about work,” Dieter glanced down, suddenly realizing that Shin-ae could misinterpret what he’s trying to say. He quickly continued, “Not that I won’t work. That’s not what I’m saying at all.”

“I know that’s not what you’re saying. Trust me, I know what it’s like to not know what you want to do. I know  _ I _ want to help people, but I don’t know if that means that I should be a nurse like my dad or something else. What if I go to school and get out and realize I hate it?” 

“Yeah,” Dieter said reaching over to brush his thumb over the top of her hand in a gesture of comfort, “that’s kind of what I’m scared of. On top of that, I already have a job that I like. The only problem with it is it may not last forever.”

“Well then, why don’t you put school on the back burner for a while and do live streaming until you can't?”

“You would be okay with that?” Dieter said, cocking his head to the side, “You wouldn’t think I was a deadbeat for dropping out?”

“Do you think I’m a deadbeat for failing my exams and needing to take a year or two off?”

“What?” Dieter exclaimed, “No! Of course not! You spent the night in the hospital just before our exam due to a concussion. Plus you were working two jobs at the time  _ and  _ tutoring mine and Soushi’s sorry asses. Of course you're not a deadbeat.”

“Then why would I think of you that way?” Shin-ae asked lightly, “Look, the term is halfway through. You only have a few weeks left. Why don’t you finish this term and then just not enroll in classes next term? Let’s just see how it goes?” She looked down at his hand on top of hers and smiled. Dieter was so good at letting her feel safe when she was vulnerable with him, she wanted to do the same for him.

It took Dieter a few moments to respond, but eventually, he nodded with a small smile. That seemed reasonable. It was good timing too. The baby would arrive shortly after the start of the next term and he would rather not have school weighing over him during Nugget’s first few months. For the first time since the start of the term, Dieter was feeling a lot more confident about life and the direction it was going.

After lunch, Dieter drove Shin-ae back to work before returning home. He had the rest of the day to himself to live stream and study until Shin-ae was off work. There was a lot to think about and he would definitely need some time alone to do just that. This was a big decision to make and he didn’t want to pick the wrong option. All he could think about was how this would eventually affect his daughter. Would this cause problems for his family later on? Would this cause Nugget to lack motivation when it was time for her to go to school? This wasn’t exactly setting the best example for her, but then again, neither was putting studies in front of raising her.

During his live stream, he continued to think about school and also how Shin-ae would feel when she returned home after work. He had just started thinking about getting a bath drawn for her before she got back so that she could relax after such a long day when he received a text. 

“One second guys,” he said to his viewers watching his stream, “I just got a text from my girlfriend…” His voice trailed off as he read her message and he broke out into a cold sweat.

_ Holy shit, I just had a contraction and it freaking hurt. OH MAH GAWD! _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! I wanted to post a chapter that was super long, like basically 3 chapters, but After finishing up this part I decided against it. Tomorrow I should have the next one up and will hopefully be able to keep up with a chapter a day schedule. We're actually almost done. With my roadmap in mind, we only have like 7 chapters left, but we might have a couple more thrown in depending on length and whatnot. Anyway, hope you guys like this one.


	37. Don't Panic

“Dieter, calm down-”

“YOU NEED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL! LEAVE NOW AND I WILL MEET YOU OVER THERE,” Dieter shouted into the phone. How was she being so calm about this? She’s 8 weeks early. This shouldn’t be happening now, but it _is_ and she shouldn’t be so calm. Was she in denial? Was she thinking that if she ignored the pain, it would go away?

Dieter snatched his keys from the kitchen island and jogged back to grab the coat he had left in there before exclaiming, “If you don’t leave in 30 seconds, I’m will pick your ass up and drive you there myself.”

“Dieter! Stop,” Shin-ae begged, “Trust me, it’s not go-time yet. I’m 8 weeks early.”

“I know!” Dieter whimpered, “That’s why we need to get you to the hospital now. Nugget could be in danger!”

“Sweetie, seriously. Stop. I don’t need to go to the hospital yet. Remember what the doctor told us about Braxton Hicks?”

“Braxton Hicks is false labor, but you said this hurt really bad.”

“And?”

“If it was just false labor wouldn’t it hurt less?” Dieter was panting at this point. He was trying desperately for her to understand how important this was, but it was like talking to a brick wall.

“No Dieter,” Shin-ae said shortly, her patience clearly thinning, “I don’t believe it would hurt less. The doctor didn’t say anything about false labor being mild. I think there was a reason she was trying to warn us of this.”

“Why?”

“For this exact reason?” Shin-ae snapped, “So that we wouldn’t freak out so badly and rush to the hospital for no reason?” Dieter stopped pacing around the apartment. She had a point. She was probably right. This was her body, she would know if she was going into real labor, right?

“Okay,” he sighed, “You’re right. I’m overreacting. Can you at least call your maternity office and tell them what happened?”

“Yes, I can do that. I have to go, though, okay? I love you”

“I love you too. Please be careful. I’ll see you tonight.” He walked back into the office and a blush erupted on his face as he realized he had left his stream running. He dropped his keys on his desk and took off his coat before his eyes glanced to the monitor. His chat was going haywire. 

“Hey guys, sorry about that,” He said, grabbing his headset and sitting in his chair, “That girlfriend that I told you all about? Yeah, we just had a little situation. I thought she was in trouble, but she’s fine.” 

_YOUR GIRLFRIEND’S PREGNANT??_

_OMG YOU’RE GOING TO BE A DAD???_

_Dude congrats._

Oh shit. He hadn’t planned on telling his fanbase about Shin-ae being pregnant. He wanted to keep that a secret.

“Yeahhh shoot,” He said scratching the back of his neck, “I guess you guys saw my freak out just now.”

Dieter continued to read the comments which were a mix of advice, laughing at his reaction and congratulating him. He continued talking to his fans about his life when he received a text from Shin-ae.

_Doctor said it’s just fine. They would be worried if I was having consistent ones, but they said this is completely normal at this point and that they will get more frequent and hurt a lot more as time goes on._

That made Dieter relax. It was at this moment that he realized that even though he was excited for the baby to come, he must also be terrified at the same time. He hadn’t given much thought to the actual birth and how they would come out of it. Would Shin-ae or nugget get hurt? If they did, there was absolutely nothing he could do about it and that terrified him. He opened his text messaging app and opened his texts from Soushi.

Dieter:

_Soush, I’m kinda freaking out right now. Do you think you could come over?_

Soushi:

_Hell yeah, Mate. Actually, I was already on my way over. I’m like 2 min away._

Dieter:

_Why are you already on your way over??_

Soushi:

 _Because I knew you needed to see me BB_ **_😘_ **

Dieter:

_You’re so fucking weird._

Okay, so Soushi was on his way over. Dieter thought about streaming with Soushi but decided that he actually needed to just have a one on one talk with his best friend tonight. It didn’t feel right to air out all of his concerns to his fans. Sure they could be supportive, but it didn’t feel right. Especially in this state of such vulnerability.

Dieter said his goodbyes to his viewers and headed over to the foyer to wait for Soushi to arrive. Originally he planned on running Shin-ae a bath and giving her a massage, but now he was wondering if he would be the one needing that tonight. He heard Soushi knocking on the door and promptly opened it to see Soushi leaning against his door frame with two tickets fanned out in front of Dieter’s face. 

“Hey, Soush….whatcha got there…?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the shorter chapter tonight. Tomorrow's should be longer. Hope you guys enjoy!


	38. Parenting Class

Dieter opened the door to find Soushi holding two tickets inches away from his face. A sly smile was drawn across Soushi’s face and Dieter wondered, even more, why Soushi was even here. He was grateful for his best friend’s presence; he knew it would help calm his nerves. He had asked Soushi to come over, but when he originally asked he wasn’t aware that Soushi had made plans for him and Dieter.

On top of that, there was the dread of possibly taking another trip with Soushi. The last one had definitely not gone as planned. Dieter definitely didn’t want to be kissed again by an overzealous fan and he certainly did not want to leave Shin-ae in her current state. What the hell was Soushi planning? Dieter wondered.

Dieter squinted and pulled his face away from the tickets to see them better and muttered, “What the hell” under his breath. Upon further inspection of the tickets that were dangled strategically in Soushi’s hands, Dieter discerned that the tickets weren’t actually tickets at all. Or, at least, not in a professional sense.

Soushi had taken a piece of paper and very crudely cut it into two long rectangles and then had written in his illegible chicken-scratch, “Parenting Class.”

“Parenting class?”

“Hell yeah! I thought you and I could go together.”

“I’m sorry,” Dieter sighed, “I was under the impression that I was having a baby with Shin-ae and not you, Soush.”

“Yeah, but I wanted to support you in this. Plus I’m definitely going to be babysitting for you a lot-”

“Unlikely, but continue,” Dieter interrupted.

“And I thought,” Soushi raised his voice to drown out Dieter’s interruption, “That this might be a good chance for you to learn some things and not embarrass yourself in front of Shin-ae.” Dieter opened his mouth to rebuttal, but couldn’t actually find a good enough argument to make against Soushi. His friend was actually kind of right, it could be more beneficial for Dieter to do this with Soushi, someone he had been comfortable with for years now, rather than Shin-ae. 

“Okay,” Dieter sighed again, “You may have a good point. When is it?”

“In like 45 minutes. Are you ready to go?”

“Soushi!” Dieter growled, “Why the fuck would you sign us up for a class and not tell me about it until now?”

“I just signed us up like an hour ago, mate.”

“Why would you sign us up for the night of?” Dieter asked.

“Because,” Soushi said, alarmingly calm, “I  _ knew _ if you had time to think about it, you would have eventually turned me down.” Again, this left Dieter speechless due to the truth behind it. Dieter was already realizing that this was probably not a good idea and he should absolutely turn Soushi down and go with Shin-ae instead. But he also felt optimistic about this. What was the worst thing that could happen?

\----

Dieter sat at a two-person table in the front of the classroom next to Soushi. Everyone else in the classroom was a couple aside from the teacher, Soushi, and himself. Dieter sat slumped in his seat, trying his best to pay attention, but was more concerned with the heat coming off of his face.

Soushi had been exceptionally embarrassing tonight. They had only been in class for about 15 minutes before Soushi had started...well, being Soushi. Dieter had never been in a class with Soushi since they went to different schools, but it certainly wasn’t a shock finding out that Soushi was a typical class clown type. Dieter had been trying to take notes on fussy babies when his best friend made his first disruption.

“So here are the most common reasons why a baby is fussy and won’t stop crying,” The instructor lectured as she pointed to a slide on her smart screen. 

Soushi chuckled and then blurted, “Oh I’m very familiar with this list. It’s the same one I have to go through when my girlfriend gets all agro.” Most of the males in the class chuckled except for Dieter who elbowed his best friend in the ribs. The instructor rolled her eyes and continued with her lecture, eventually getting on the topic of what to expect during labor.

“Oh, and if you’re doing a water birth, you’re going to want to pack one of those little goldfish nets.”

“What, why?” Soushi asked.

"Trust me, poop is much easier to get out with one of them." The instructor said, making a few classmates laugh. Soushi looked like he was about to pass out. His eyes were wide and his skin was pale.

“Uhhh, ewww what?” Soushi squeaked. 

“Well, what do you expect?” The instructor asked him, “When giving birth, you are using the same muscles and you’re pushing. Hard. It’s very common for women to poop during labor.” This definitely grossed Dieter out but he wasn’t about to make a comment. He was more worried about Soushi embarrassing him more tonight than he was at the idea of watching a woman soil the bed when she gave birth.

“Gross, girls actually shit?” Soushi exclaimed.

45 minutes into class and Soushi had not only made several more outbursts but had also decapitated a babydoll when they were practicing Swadling. Just before this point, Dieter was crawling out of his own skin and begging for an excuse to get the hell out of there. As the babydoll’s head hit the floor with a loud thud, a ring came from Dieter’s pocket. He fished out his cellphone and saw that it was Shin-ae texting him.

_ Can you please pick me up? My feet and back hurt. _

_ Yes of course! I’ll be there soon. _

Dieter shot out of his chair and grabbed Soushi’s arm.

“I’m sorry, we will be leaving now. Thank you for all the information. It was very useful.” Before the instructor could say anything, Dieter was already dragging Soushi out of the door and into the hallway. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohhhh my gosh you guys. This week has been so crazy. I've had to work overtime and then I didn't have a computer for a few days and oh man. It's been kinda rough.
> 
> Also, Tuesday I found out my business degree GPA didn't make the mark for admission. I need a 3.0 and I ended up with a 2.94. I was told I wouldn't be accepted but then on Wednesday, I got an acceptance letter??? So I'm in, and don't get me wrong I'm happy I got in, but I'm a little frustrated. Idk I cared so much about this and it kinda feels like the program just doesn't care? Idk it just really rubbed me the wrong way how everything happened with my acceptance.
> 
> I also don't know why it's so hard for me to write more than a thousand words a chapter. I was doing pretty good with writing like 2000 word chapters, but since I started writing again it's been hard. So sorry the chapters are on the shorter side.
> 
> Hope you all are safe and having a fun holiday season. And if you're not celebrating any holidays right now, I hope you're having a good, non-holiday time. Thanks for all the comments and kudos and subs and yeah. I'll see you tomorrow <3


	39. Interruption

It was here; Week 40. Shin-ae and Dieter sat in a waiting room at their 40-week appointment. This was the appointment where they would schedule her induction if need be. Shin-ae was texting her dad while Dieter scanned the room like he always did. He always felt weird being in an OB office with a bunch of women who were much older than him and Shin-ae. He’d never admit something like that, though. If anyone deserved to be uncomfortable it was Shin-ae.

Shin-ae certainly looked like she was 40 weeks along. Every old woman who came across her path would tell her she looked like she was ready to pop. He felt bad that everyone felt the need to comment on her body and appearance. Shin-ae never said it bothered her, but Dieter always wondered if it did. 

Shin-ae did, however, make many comments about how much her back and hips hurt. Apparently, Nugget would grind down on Shin-ae’s pelvic bone causing Shin-ae to suck in sharp breaths. Sometimes Nugget would kick her ribs so hard that it would send Shin-ae into a coughing fit. She had deep bags under her eyes from lack of sleep and her hair was a mess most days. And yet, she was still the most beautiful woman Dieter had ever seen.

He was very accommodating to her needs at this point. When she took a bath, he would wash her hair for her. At night, he would give her back and legs a massage before bed to help her sleep better. He especially loved cuddling on the couch with her and watching Nugget’s little kicks from within her tummy. He was so ready to be a dad.

As the pregnancy progressed, Shin-ae became less and less confident in her abilities to be a good mother which broke Dieter’s heart. He knew she would be excellent, but he didn’t know how to make her see that. One day after work, she confided in him that there were two possible outcomes for her. Either she would be just like her own mother and become absent, eventually abandoning them or she would lack the ability to be a good mom due to her lack of instruction growing up. These certainly weren’t new fears, but they were affecting her more during the last two months of pregnancy.

Their appointment took place at the OB office in the hospital. After week 34, they had started scheduling appointments at this location so that Shin-ae would get to know some of the nurses there and the nurses would become familiar with Shin-ae and her needs as a patient. They also had the opportunity to tour the Labor & Delivery ward and see what kind of rooms they would be in during delivery.

After their appointment, as they were walking out of the hospital and into the parking garage, Dieter and Shin-ae heard a squeal from a few isles down.

“OMG it’s you!” The girl said running towards Dieter, “You are my favorite streamer. Can I please have an autograph?” 

Dieter had become fairly used to this. Ever since he spilled the beans that his girlfriend was pregnant, his viewership had skyrocketed. Apparently, that was something that happened when content creators either got pregnant or had pregnant partners. It was exciting but also brought its own stress. He was recognized a lot more when going out, while before being recognized was a rare occurrence. While signing for the girl, Dieter glanced at Shin-ae and noticed she had moved closer to him and did not look happy.

“What’s up? You seem upset,” Dieter asked in the car as they drove home.

“I don’t know,” Shin-ae said quietly, “Sometimes seeing you with fans makes me...upset.”

“Why? Is it because of what happened in California? I promise I won’t ever let that happen again-”

“No it’s not because of that,” Shin-ae sighed, “I think it just has to do with my hormones.”

“How so?”

“I guess…” Shin-ae paused. She wasn’t sure how to say this. Her face heated up and she sighed and continued, “I guess it makes me jealous and makes me...want to do things with you.”

“I don’t think I understand,” Dieter started. Suddenly it hit him what she was saying,” Wait...what kind of things.”

“You know,” Shin-ae said quietly, blush spreading to her ears, “things things.”

“Things things?” Dieter chuckled and nodded, “So why is that?”

“I think it makes me jealous...and then I need to like...prove that you’re mine.”

“Maybe we need to bump into fans more often.”

“Dieter!”

“I’m just kidding,” Dieter barked out a laugh, “Kind of.”

\----

When they got home, Dieter kissed Shin-ae hungrily against the wall in the hallway. He nibbled on her lips and she let out a shaky moan. Pretty soon they wouldn’t be able to do this for a while and this made Dieter want to make it last. He traced a finger up her bare arm causing goosebumps to spread. Shin-ae grabbed his hand and pulled as she padded to the bedroom.

In the bedroom, Dieter worked on taking Shin-ae’s clothes off. He kissed up her inner thigh, then up her tummy, and finally made his way to her neck where he sucked just under her jaw. Shin-ae shivered and moaned out his name shakily. She was just as ready as he was. Suddenly, without warning, a very loud “pop” was heard and suddenly there was water everywhere. 

“What the hell-”

“I think my water just broke…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only a couple of chapters left. I ended up cutting some chapters from my roadmap tonight because I decided they weren't really important. So now we just have two left after this one.
> 
> I don't think I will have the next chapter finished before tomorrow evening, but I will for sure have the last two chapters done before the end of Thursday evening.
> 
> Thanks, everyone!


	40. Go Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I'm an idiot.
> 
> So I actually wrote this on Tuesday, edited it on Wednesday, and then completely forgot to post it. Like I just legit forgot to get it posted and to work on the last chapter. So here is chapter 40. I am editing the last chapter right now and will post it when I finish it in an hour or two.
> 
> Thanks for being patient with me. I'm so sorry I'm such a dummy.

Shin-ae woke up to the sound of soft beeping coming from the heart monitor. She had been in labor now for 20 hours. She sucked in a breath as she felt a contraction coming on and pushed herself up the hospital bed to try and get more comfortable. Dieter noticed her shuffling and came to her side quickly, pulling the pillow up as she lifted herself.

“Hey you got in a pretty good nap,” He said just above a whisper. Shin-ae had barely gotten any sleep since getting to the hospital. Her contractions, while intense, were not coming often enough. 

“How long was I out for?” 

“About four hours,” Dieter said, giving her a loving smile, “Do you need some ice chips?” Shin-ae let her head fall back on the pillow and she stared up at the ceiling annoyed. This was the worst part so far. She wasn’t allowed to eat anything yet. The only thing she was allowed to ingest was water and crushed up ice cubes, which were  _ not _ filling in the slightest. So now, not only had she hardly slept in two days, but it had been over 24 hours since she last ate, too.

“Fuck,” She grumbled, “Why is this taking so long?”

“I don’t know,” Dieter said, swiping her bangs out of her eyes, “But the doctor doesn’t think anything is wrong. She said you’re in active enough labor that you are going to continue to stay here, but not active enough to start pushing yet.”

“This is the worst.”

“I know,” Dieter said quietly and the side of his lips quirked into a grin, ”I’m sorry.” Shin-ae glared at him and then turned her head away to stare out the window on the other side of the room. Luckily, the hospital was quiet today. It wasn’t super busy either, so when they made a request, it didn’t take very long to fulfill. A few minutes went by as Shin-ae stared out the window while Dieter rubbed her bump, trying to ease the muscles in her abdomen.

After the whole fiasco with Soushi and Dieter attending that parenting class, Dieter did actually return to another class, this time with Shin-ae instead. During one of the classes, they learned how important it was to have a support person with you during labor.

_ “Oxytocin and endorphins make labor happen. You produce these when you are calm, feeling supported, feeling ‘in control’. Adrenaline slows down labor and can make it longer and more painful. You produce adrenaline when you are scared, anxious, perceive danger,”  _ the instructor had said. Shin-ae knew, as scared as she was to become a mother, she wasn’t actually scared of labor for some reason. She suspected it was because Dieter was already so supportive.

Shin-ae was pulled out of her thoughts when she and Dieter heard a knock at the door. Dieter looked up as their doctor came in. This was the first they had seen of her since arriving. The nurses that came in to check on Shin-ae every few hours had kept the doctor updated with where Shin-ae was at. 

“Are we ready to have a baby?” She said calmly. Dieter’s face paled and Shin-ae knitted her brows together in confusion.

“The last time the nurse was in here, she said I was still not dilated enough.”

“Yes it looks like they checked you at…” the doctor glanced down at her clipboard, “11 and you were still at 5cm. So you’re about halfway there.”

“Halfway?” Shin-ae croaked. She sounded exhausted which drove a wave of guilt through Dieter again, “I have to do this for another 20 something hours?”

“Well, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. First I’m going to check and see where we’re at and then let’s discuss options,” Shin-ae already had her legs open and knees up in the air before the doctor finished speaking. She was getting used to showing her lady bits to every person that entered the room. The doctor did her thing and then sat up from the chair and threw away her gloves.

“Okay, we’re going to go with the good news first,” She said cheerfully while still maintaining the calmness in her voice, “You are now at 7cm which means you  _ are _ progressing. So good job, mama.”

“So what’s the bad news?” Dieter asked, trying to match the doctor’s calm tone, but failing.

“Well, we are not seeing enough progress. Shin-ae it looks like your contractions are frequent enough that we would expect to see you at a 9cm dilation, at least. But you’re just not dilating enough.”

“So?!” Shin-ae asked, trying not to snap at her doctor, “What am I supposed to do about that?”

“Unfortunately there’s nothing you can do,” The doctor gave her a kind smile and took a deep breath, “But there is something that  _ we  _ can do.”

“Okay? Does it involve the epidural? Because I think I’m ready for that?”

“As a matter of fact,” the doctor giggled and continued, “It does. This is what we can do. We would like to give you an injection of Pitocin. It is a synthesized oxytocin injection that will kickstart labor. Luckily, your water already broke, so we won’t have to break your water for you, which tends to be very painful. That being said, Pitocin also causes pretty intense pain and we generally don’t recommend Pitocin without an epidural. It sounds like you’re ready for an epidural, though.”

“Yes, please!” Shin-ae groaned.

“So just in case you are unaware, once you get the epidural you will be stationed in bed. You won’t be able to walk and you will need a catheter. Are you okay with that?”

“Yes,” Shin-ae said, “I’d really like to get some sleep and I’m having a hard time with that right now. I don’t have any desire to walk around.”

“Okay, then I will call in the anesthesiologist.” The doctor nodded to them and left the room. Shin-ae let her head flop back onto the pillow again and Dieter grabbed her water bottle and filled it up in the sink.

“You’re doing great, sweetheart.”

“Clearly I’m not,” Shin-ae said.

“Of course you are,” Dieter said as he handed her the water bottle, “Things like this happen all the time. You’re doing just fine.” Shin-ae took a few gulps of water and scooted to one side of the bed.

“You look tired,” Shin-ae said and patted the space next to her. It would be a tight fit, but all she wanted to do was cuddle with him and sleep in his arms, “Come lay down with me.”

“Are you sure?” Dieter asked, crawling into bed with her, “I don’t want you to be more uncomfortable than you already are.”

“Yes, I’m sure. Please come lay with me.”

About an hour later, the anesthesiologist came in with the epidural. Then a nurse came in to check on her progress, or rather her lack of progress. She was in the same spot she had been and the nurse had the Pitocin I.V. within 10 minutes. Shin-ae was having the weirdest sensations after that. She could feel her contractions becoming more intense and more frequent, but they didn’t hurt. Shin-ae suspected the sensation was just as bad as the pain would be, but she knew that was probably untrue. 

Dieter continued to lay next to her and let himself nod off. Sometimes he would wake up to the beeping of a monitor, but the nurses seemed to have everything under control. He was also consistently waking up to people checking in on Shin-ae’s progress which seemed to be going much better and quicker than before. Eventually, Shin-ae also dozed off and they slept together until Shin-ae woke up suddenly and vomited on the floor next to her bed.

Dieter pressed the call button and then rubbed Shin-ae’s back. Not long after Shin-ae lay back down, one of her many monitors started beeping loudly and quickly. A swarm of nurses and two doctors came rushing in and started poking and prodding at Shin-ae. Dieter got out of the bed to give them more room. He started to fear that something was wrong.

“Prep the OR. We need to get this baby out now,” Shin-ae’s doctor burst through the door and whipped her stethoscope off of her neck and into her ears. She pressed it up against Shin-ae’s belly and listened.

“What? What’s going on,” Shin-ae asked shakily.

“Shin-ae, we are going to need to prepare you for an emergency C-section. Your baby’s oxygen level has dropped and she is in distress right now.”

“C-section? Why can’t I just start pushing?”

“You’re not fully dilated. Unfortunately, your body is not ready to push. This is putting too much pressure on the baby and we need to get her out quickly,” A nurse put up the safety barriers on her bed and started rolling. The doctor turned to Dieter, “You coming, dad?”

Dieter, completely shocked, stared at the doctor for what felt like an awkward amount of time before nodding. He gulped and rushed toward the doctor and out of the door. That was so sudden. There was no warning; No hint that this was even going to be a possibility. Was Shin-ae going to be alright? Was Nugget going to be alright?

As he got to the OR prep room, he was instructed to scrub his hands with a bar of orange soap. He scrubbed up to his elbow and underneath his fingernails before a nurse shoved gloves onto his wet hands. She put a shower cap looking hat on his head and gave him scrubs to put on. This was it. He was about to walk into that room and come out very shortly with a baby. And so was Shin-ae. He was going to walk into the operating room and then walk out with his life completely changed. And he was ready.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is the last one. I hope you all enjoyed this fic. You can find me on just about any social media under the name QunariQueen, so if you ever want to know what's going on in my person life, you can always check in.
> 
> I will eventually post more fanfics and I'm sure some of them will be I Love Yoo fics. Right now I'm still working on a Reylo fic that has been in the process for about a year now. I haven't posted that one because I really want to be able to post the whole story at once. As it stands right now, though, I won't be writing another fic for a long while. Thanks so much for reading my story. I hope you are all safe and happy and I look forward to possibly seeing you again on future fics.


	41. Amaleigh

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *There were two chapters posted today. If you have not read chapter 40, the first chapter that was posted tonight, go and read that chapter before this chapter. Chapter 41, the chapter you are currently looking at, is the second chapter posted tonight*

When Dieter moved away from his home at the age of 11, He was a jumbled up mess of fear of his new life, sadness from having to leave his friends and excitement for new beginnings. It wasn’t the first time his family had moved since he had been born, but it was the first time he felt intense emotions over it. Every move got easier, but that first time he had to uproot his life, leave his friends behind and start anew, it was the first time he felt this specific jab in his heart.

That is what fatherhood felt like except worse. Like, way worse, but in the best of ways. Dieter was sad, but not sad like he would go back in time and prevent this from happening sad. It wasn’t like the sadness of missing his friends. It was a sadness that directly correlated with his fear. His fear derived from the pure excitement and joy he felt, which also seemed to make him sad. 

Or maybe that wasn’t sadness at all. Maybe the tears he had felt run down his face all day were from an entirely different emotion that he could only explain away as sadness. At the same time that he felt sadness, he also felt a whirlwind of other emotions tied to this experience. Because how could he be sad whenever he looked at her?

When Dieter heard the first shriek from his daughter, everything went black. He later learned that this was because he had fainted. Dieter woke up in a chair next to Shin-ae’s bed with a bandage on his eyebrow and a fresh headache. But none of that mattered when his eyes connected with his daughter’s in Shin-aes arms. From that moment on, Dieter couldn’t feel anything other than this insane mixing pot of feelings.

Looking into her eyes was like looking at the most beautiful thing his brain couldn’t even comprehend. It was like looking at something otherworldly. Nugget, or rather Amaleigh, the new name they gave their daughter a few weeks before she was born, had the brightest blue eyes he had ever seen. They were light, unlike other babies, and they were pure. It was like looking into a deep, icy pool that was so deep you weren’t sure if you were looking at the bottom or if it was so deep you couldn’t comprehend where it ended. She had waves of blonde, almost white hair. She was like a spitting image of Dieter except at the same time had so many features from her mother. 

For one, the shape of her eyes were the same as her mothers. They slanted upward and were almond, but were blue. Her nose also was a better resemblance of her mother’s rather than his, which he was okay with because Shin-ae’s nose was so cute and button-like. Looking at her left Dieter with the weirdest sense of pure, unhindered joy and fear.

The fear came from him not knowing what to do. Sure he had learned how to hold a baby during the parenting classes, but this was different. This wasn’t just some ordinary baby, this was Amaleigh. She was untouchable and pure and if anything ever happened to her, the world would be over because she was what held it together. Her cries would shatter the tectonic plates, her tears would melt away steel, and her thrashes would bring down civilizations. She was something of royalty, something that needed to be worshiped. He didn’t know how to handle this new responsibility. He couldn’t possibly make her life easier. There wasn’t enough that he could do to help her. He was just a peasant in her presence.

Then he would hold her. When he felt the weight of her little body in his arms it was like everything around him vanished and all that was left was his daughter and him. For the first few times, even Shin-ae couldn’t penetrate the buried that she cast around Dieter. While his fear dissipated, sadness bubbled up in its wake.

It made him sad to think about what he couldn’t give her. He thought he was well prepared for her, but oh how he was wrong. She deserved everything her heart desired and who was he to deny her of those things. Right now they were basic things like warmth and food, but soon she would want things that he could not provide. In only a matter of years, she would come home and cry in her room because she had been rejected by her crush, just as Dieter used to. And when that happened there would be nothing that he could do to mend her broken heart. He would try everything, of course, but nothing he could ever do would truly be enough for this absolute masterpiece of a human being. She deserved so much better than him. It was an honor to even be in her presence, let alone get to spend every day with her.

Not long after Dieter had woken up and held his daughter, he and Shin-ae had decided to have friends and family come visit. Shin-ae was exhausted, of course, but she knew she would just continue to be exhausted for the next few days and it was best to let people come visit rather than have them wait days to meet her.

For the entire duration of the meet and greet, Dieter was inconsolable. He was twitchy when other people held her and he couldn’t stop crying every time he had the chance to cuddle her. He was sure the tear marks would stain his face and be permanent from here on out. Lucky for him, his friends only gave him a little flack. They knew Dieter was emotional, and they all felt he had the right to be.

Rika and Maya were also emotionally wrecked after meeting the new baby. Rika had become more and more obsessed with babies which drew Soushi crazy, but in the best ways. Maya on the other hand, felt jealous. She would never admit that she was, but she had a very hard time hiding her resentment for her two friend’s relationships and now Shin-ae’s new family. 

Eventually, after 3 days of hospital stay, they were allowed to leave. The first thing Shin-ae wanted to do was run through a drive thru and get WacDonald’s.

“Oh, you shouldn’t do that,” The nurse had said, after Shin-ae made the suggestion.

“Why?” Shin-ae whipped her head back to look at the nurse, “I haven’t eaten good food in like five days. I’m having a damn cheeseburger.”

“Well your baby will get sick,” The nurse responded, “She’ll catch a cold from the window being rolled down. You really have to be careful.” Shin-ae rolled her eyes and shook her head.

“Well that’s a risk that’s worth taking!” Shin-ae answered enthusiastically, “Plus we gotta start her out early. She needs to know where her food comes from.” Dieter snorted and shook his head at Shin-ae. He knew that his daughter would not get sick from the window being rolled down, but he understood what the nurse was saying.

“Maybe we just bundle her up more?” He suggested, “We’ll keep her nice and warm during the car ride back. Shin-ae do you want to sit in the back with her.”

“Yeah that sounds good,” Shin-ae answered. 

Once they were all loaded into the car, they were off. No more help from the nurses, no more checks every two hours from a staff member. It was just going to be Shin-ae, Amaleigh, and Dieter on this new adventure together. 


End file.
